Information Mobility - WordPress.com · 2013-12-10 · productivity, but the percentage that find the three other top drivers important all range between 45% and 47%, suggesting that

SmartMarket Report

InformationMobility:Improving Team Collaboration Through the Movement of Project Information

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McGraw Hill Construction

PresidentKeith Fox

Vice President, Product DevelopmentKathryn E. Cassino

McGraw Hill Construction Research & Analytics/ Industry Insights & Alliances

Vice President, Industry Insights & Alliances Harvey M. Bernstein, F.ASCE, LEED AP

Senior Director, Research & AnalyticsBurleigh Morton

Director, Research Content & CommunicationsMichele A. Russo, LEED AP

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Copyright © 2013, McGraw Hill Construction, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Information Mobility: Improving Team Collaboration Through the Movement of Project Information SmartMarket Report

Executive EditorHarvey M. Bernstein, F.ASCE, LEED AP

Editorial Advisor and ContributorStephen A. Jones

Editorial DirectorMichele A. Russo, LEED AP

Managing EditorDonna Laquidara-Carr, LEED AP

Director, Design & ProductionWilliam Taylor

Manager, Content OperationsJuan Ramos

Art DirectorsAlison Lorenz Melissa Washington

Contributing Art DirectorAD-BOUTIQUE, INC.Terumasa Yamada

ContributorsEnver Fitch, LEED Green AssociateBelle Communications Johanna Knapschaefer

Research Project ManagerSusan Barnett, MRA, PRC

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SmartMarket Report

About McGraw Hill ConstructionMcGraw Hill Construction’s data, analytics, and media businesses—Dodge, Sweets, Architectural Record, GreenSource, and Engineering News-Record—create opportunities for owners, architects, engineers, contractors, building product manufacturers, and distributors to strengthen their market position, size their markets, prioritize prospects, and target and build relationships that will win more business. McGraw Hill Construction serves more than one million customers through its trends and forecasts, industry news, and leading platform of construction data, benchmarks, and analytics.

To learn more, visit www.construction.com.

Harvey M. Bernstein, F.ASCE, LEED AP, has been a leader in the engineering and construc-tion industry for over 30 years. Currently, he has lead responsi-bility for MHC’s market research group as well as MHC’s thought leadership initiatives in areas such as green building, BIM, interoperability, innovation and global construction markets. Previously, Bernstein served as the president and CEO of the Civil Engineering Research Foundation. He currently serves

as a member of the Princeton University Civil and Environ-mental Engineering Advisory Council and as a visiting professor with the University of Reading’s School of Construc-tion Management and Engineer-ing in England. Bernstein has an M.B.A. from Loyola College, an M.S. in engineering from Princ-eton University and a B.S. in civil engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Donna Laquidara-Carr, Ph.D., LEED AP, currently provides editorial direction, analysis and contentto MHC’s SmartMarket Reports, examining critical construction industry trends including BIM, risk manage-ment and green building. Prior to starting this position in 2008, she worked for nearly 20 years with MHC’s Dodge divi-sion, where she gained insight into the construction news

industry. From 2005–2008, she served as Editorial Training and Policy Manager, respon-sible for educating over 250 reporters on key trends in the industry. Laquidara-Carr has a Ph.D. from Tulane University, an M.A. from Boston Univer-sity and a B.A. from Middle-bury College.

Introduction

Harvey M. BernsteinF.ASCE, LEED APVice PresidentIndustry Insights & AlliancesMcGraw Hill Construction

Donna Laquidara-CarrPh.D., LEED APManagerIndustry Insights &Research CommunicationsMcGraw Hill Construction

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nSmartMarket report

McGrawHillConstruction 1 www.construction.com SmartMarket Report

The construction industry, like most businesses, has benefited from the explosion in new tech-nologies that aid the transfer of

vital information. With our series of Smart-Market Reports on bIm, including the 2012 Business Value of BIM in North America, and with the study of mobile device use on the jobsite, published in ENR in Septem-ber 2012, mcgraw hill Construction (mhC) has explored the impact of the flow of infor-mation on the construction industry. these studies demonstrate that mobile devices on the jobsite, improved communication and visualization tools and increased use of building information modeling (bIm)all contribute to making the construction industry more productive.

To achieve the full potential of the new technologies, however, it is critical to understand how effectively project infor-mation is flowing between project team partners, between the jobsite and the main office, and between systems within the company. the results of this mhC study of information mobility demonstrate the gains the industry has been making, but they also reveal the critical gaps that must be addressed to support the ongoing shift to a more collaborative approach that is currently taking hold in the industry.

The results reveal that 67% of general and specialty trade contractors have seen significant improvements to the flow of project information at their firm in the last two years, with the majority reporting two significant benefits resulting from these improvements:

■■ 76% find that they have better collabora-tion among team members.

■■ 68% percent report improved productivity.

Improved collaboration and productivity are also reflected in the key drivers encour-aging the flow of project information.

however, the study also reveals gaps that must be filled to encourage better support of a collaborative approach. Only 20% of respondents track the flow of project information to other firms, less than half those that track it within their companies. for collaboration to succeed, there needs to be a seamless flow of infor-mation to all partners on a project, and tracking is the only way to understand and improve the flow of information.

another opportunity to increase the benefits of improved information mobility is improving access to information on and from the jobsite. Only 37% find that their workers can access project information outside the trailer, which not only creates potential productivity issues but also limits the potential for tools like bIm to be effec-tively used onsite. also, respondents agree that getting information and analyzing it from the site needs to be better supported by information mobility. better software, more training and increased attention to this issue has the potential to offer signifi-cant productivity benefits.

We would like to thank our premier partner, bentley Systems Inc., for helping us bring this critical intelligence to the indus-try. We also thank bluebeam Software for supporting this effort.

04Executive Summary 4 Executive Summary

6 Recommendations

08Data 9 BenefitsofImprovedInformationMobility 9 Degree of Improved Information Mobility Since 2011

10 Benefits of Improved Information Mobility

11 Schedule Reductions Due to Improved Information Mobility

12 Impact on Costs and Project ROI of Improved Information Mobility

13 DriversandObstacles 13 Most Important Factors Encouraging the Movement of Project Information

14 Factors that Slow the Movement of Project Information

16 Importance of Collaboration with Other Firms

19 MovementofConstructionProjectInformation 19 Formats and Approaches for Exchanging Project Information

21 Productivity Impact of the Movement of Project Information

22 Goals Supported by the Flow of Project Information

24 Functions Supported by the Flow of Project Information 26 sidebar ConstructionintheCloud—TheFutureofCloud-Based

SystemsinConstruction

27 AccesstoProjectInformation 27 Effectiveness of Servers in Streaming Project Information

28 Accessibility of Project Information by Location

29 Positions Within Companies that Access Project Information

31 sidebar TheRisingTrendofWorkersUsingTheirOwnMobileDevices

34 ToolsUsedtoSupporttheFlowofProjectInformation 34 Devices Used Currently and Expected to Be Used in Two Years

to Access Project Information

36 Mobile Device Functionality Used by Project Team Members

37 sidebar MobileToolsUse—FindingsfromMHC’sStudyonMobileToolsOnsite

38 Key Capabilities in Devices that Connect Users to Project Information

39 Tasks Deemed Important to be Done Remotely

40 Types of Content and Formats Considered Important to Access Remotely by Contractors

41 Types of Apps and Services Used to Manage Projects

42 Mobile Device Apps Used to Enable Communication

table of

contents

SmartMarketReportINFORMATIONMOBILITYSMARTMARKETREPORT:

IMPROVINGTEAMCOLLABORATIONTHROUGHTHEMOVEMENTOFPROJECTINFORMATION

SmartMarket Report McGraw Hill Construction 2 www.construction.com

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43 Design Activities and Geo-Data Tools Used on Mobile Devices

44 sidebar BringingBIMtotheJobsite

45 TrackingtheMovementofProjectInformation 45 Firms Tracking the Movement of Project Information

46 Tracking the Movement of Project Information Among Team Members Within the Firm

47 Tracking the Movement of Project Information to Outside Firms

32Case StudyConnectivityThroughaPrivateSatelliteNetwork:UtilizingaSatelliteConnectiononRemoteWindFarmProjects,NorthAmerica

18 Thought Leader Interview JohnMoebes,DirectorofConstruction,Crate&Barrel

48Methodology

49Resources

McGraw Hill Construction 3 www.construction.com SmartMarket Report

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Executive Summary

Benefits Due to Improved Project Information MobilityOver two thirds of the respondents report that they have experienced significant improvements in project infor-mation mobility at their firm. over three quarters of the firms with annual revenues of $10 million or more report significant improvements, compared with less than half of small firms with revenues less than $10 million. this finding, and many others throughout this report, demon-strate that having resources to invest in technology, as well as in expertise about the use of that technology, has bene-fited large firms. It also reveals that small firms may need to consider increased investments to improve their ability to compete in an increasingly information-focused industry.

the need to improve information mobility is demon-strated by the benefits firms have achieved from their investments. as the chart to the right reveals, better collab-oration and improved productivity are the top benefits noted by all, although better collaboration is more widely reported by general contractors and improved productivity is more widely reported by trade contractors. this finding is echoed throughout the report, with general contractors placing more value on how information mobility supports their collaboration efforts and trade contractors putting more emphasis on the way the flow of information helps improve productivity.

Schedule, coSt and RoI BenefItSonly 20% to 25% of respondents report schedule, cost and roI improvements, but those that are experiencing these benefits find them to be substantial:

• Schedule Decrease: Median of 8.8%• Cost Decrease: Median of 9.6%• Project ROI Increase: Median of 2.0%

Key Drivers and Obstacles to Improving the Flow of Project Informationthe importance of the drivers for improving information mobility vary by the type of firm.

■■ General contractors place the highest value on two

factors—their ability to share documents and the ease of access regardless of location or device.

■■ Specialty trade contractors place the highest value on productivity, but the percentage that find the three other top drivers important all range between 45% and 47%, suggesting that they are influenced by a wider range of drivers than the general contractors.

this finding supports the likelihood that trade contractors will invest in increased information mobility in the future, since such a large percentage are influenced by a wide range of factors.

Source: McGraw Hill Construction, 2013

Specialty Trade ContractorsGeneral Contractors

4_2_ES_Benefits_#01.eps

81%

70%

Better Collaboration Among Team Members

62%

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Better Productivity

42%

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Less Reliance on Blueprints/Speci�cations

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Reduced Risk

Top Benefits from Improved Information Mobility (according to general and Specialty trade Contractors)

Technology has significantly enhanced project information mobility for construction projects, but it has only scratched the surface. There are still many opportunities for the industry to increase productivity through improved project information flow.advancements in the exchange of project information have helped support productivity improvements in the construction industry, such as collaboration and the use of bIm. however, many firms are still experiencing challenges, especially with improving the flow of information to and from the jobsite, a critical factor for increased productivity.


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n Accessibility of Project InformationOver three quarters of the respondents are aware of the role of their servers in improving information mobility, and among them, almost half find that their servers are very effective in supporting the flow of information and only one quarter find they are not. With the shift to cloud computing that the data suggests will occur soon, the industry will find data even more accessible, regardless of the performance of their servers.

this finding is important because it demonstrates that, while the industry would benefit from improved tech-nology, many find the fundamental infrastructure for information flow to be sound, and therefore should focus beyond technology to their ability to use and benefit from project information flow.

JoBSIte IS a Key Gap In the acceSSIBIlIty of pRoJect InfoRmatIonThe data also demonstrate that the most critical gap in terms of information accessibility is at the jobsite. While 72% report that information is accessible in the jobsite trailer, accessibility outside the trailer to informa-tion is only reported by 37%. getting information into the hands of the workers more directly would have significant impact on the potential to improve productivity.

What Firms Want from Information Mobility

GoalS Well-SuppoRted By the cuRRent floW of pRoJect InfoRmatIonOver two thirds of the respondents find that the informa-tion mobility at their firm allows them to effectively:

■■ Maintain Office Communication with the Site■■ Increase Productivity■■ Collaborate with Project Teams Within Their Firms■■ Improve Project Quality

Since so many respondents feel these are supported effectively, it is worth noting that 15% of the respondents think information mobility should support increased productivity but find that it does not, and 14% find the same for improving project quality. Large firms are also more likely to report productivity gains due to the move-ment of project information, with a 23 percentage point spread between firms with annual revenues of $50 million or more and those with revenues of less than $10 million reporting positive impacts on productivity.

Executive Summary COntInueD

McGrawHillConstruction 5 www.construction.com

GoalS and functIonS that need to Be BetteR SuppoRted By InfoRmatIon moBIlItyother than the general goal of increased profitability, the goals and functions for which respondents expect better support from the flow of project information than they currently receive reveal that improving the flow of project information to the site and to project team members is critical for firms to capitalize fully on the benefits of improved information mobility.

■■ Goals that Need to Be Better Supported• Increased Profitability• Increased Access to Information by Workers Onsite

■■ Functions that Need to Be Better Supported• Gathering Real-time Data from the Field• Analyzing Real-time Data from the Field

Software and tools that can help site workers take better advantage of project information, as well as improve communication between the office and the site, are crit-ical and need to be addressed by key players in the industry.


Specialty Trade ContractorGeneral Contractor

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Increased Ability to Share Project Documents

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Easy Access to Project Information Regardless of Location/Device

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Access to Current Project Information

Most Important Factors Encouraging the Flow of Project Information (according to general and Specialty trade Contractors)

SmartMarket Report

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5_2_ES_TrackingB_#01.eps


20%

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To Other Firms Among Team Members Within Firm

Firms Tracking the Movement of Project InformationDevices Used to Support the Flow of

Project Informationthe highest percentage of general contractors (91%) report using laptop computers, but the highest percent-age of specialty trade contractors (96%) still use desktop computers. however, both expect to see a decline in the use of these devices in the next two years and an increase in more portable devices like netbooks, tablets and Windows mobile devices. they still primarily use these devices to access documents in traditional formats like pDfs and microsoft office documents, and very little building information modeling or analysis is being done with these devices so far. as the devices and the users both get more sophisticated, however, the design and analysis tools employed in the office should eventu-ally begin emerging on the site as well, despite the low percentages currently using tools for these purposes now.

Tracking the Flow of Project Information Is Essential to Support Collaborative EffortsDespite the greater current emphasis on collaboration reported by general contractors compared with specialty trade contractors, a higher percentage of both expect collaboration with owners and design firms to increase in importance in the next two years. this demonstrates the increasing importance of collaboration for construc-tion firms.

However, despite the growing importance of collaborating with other companies, only 20% of the respondents currently track the flow of project infor-mation to other companies, compared with 41% who track it to team members in their own firm. While there are clearly challenges involved in tracking the movement of project information outside their firms, this finding demonstrates an important gap. Without tracking these data, firms cannot ensure that there is a seamless transfer of information to all the project partners, and successful collaboration depends upon knowing that all the partners have an equal ability to access information. use of the cloud is expected to enhance the ability of firms to access information and collaborate, and it may help address the challenges faced in tracking the flow of information to other project team members. as the industry continues to move toward a more collaborative approach to projects, benchmarks for tracking the flow of project information to other firms will be essential.

SmartMarket Report

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Recommendations

While advances in technology have already helped to improve information mobility across the construction industry, the full potential offered by improving the flow of project information has just begun to be tapped.


Industry Recommendations

■■ #1: PrePare to Shift to the Cloud

Documents shared on the cloud by a project team avoid issues with version-ing and encourage collabo-ration. Information sharing is more effective when it is all accessed from a central location rather than from mode to mode. also, docu-ments and functions on the cloud can be accessed on mobile devices that have limited processing capabil-ities, even if they are large and complex.

Currently, there are limited choices for access to advanced construction-related software like bIm on the cloud. however, cloud storage services are the only means for exchanging project infor-mation that has a higher percentage of respondents (60%) expecting to use it in two years compared with current users (37%). All industry players need to seriously consider how the cloud can help them solve collaboration and data-sharing prob-lems they currently face, and what issues need to be resolved to allow them to commit to cloud computing.

■■ #2: imProve the flow of information with the JobSite

gathering real-time data from the jobsite and ana-lyzing those data are the two functions selected by the largest percentage of respondents (36% and 34%, respectively) who find that they need to be more effectively supported by information mobility. In addition, getting infor-mation into the hands of workers outside the job-site trailer is also consid-ered difficult by over one third of contractors. these are just two key findings of many that demonstrate that improving informa-tion mobility for jobsite workers is the biggest chal-lenge facing the industry. To improve productiv-ity and profitability, firms must invest in improving the flow of information to the jobsite.

■■ #3: Pay attention to training and Culture

over three quarters of the contractors find proj-ect information to be very accessible in the office, when working from home or at the jobsite. In addi-tion, nearly half (48%)

of the respondents that report understanding how their servers impact the flow of information find them to be very effec-tive at streaming informa-tion to mobile devices or other servers. these find-ings suggest that upgrad-ing technology may not be the sole solution to encour-aging broader information mobility. Companies must ensure that all workers using project information have the tools and train-ing to access it effectively, and encourage a culture in their firm of sharing data, both internally and externally.

■■ #4: traCk ProJeCt information flow

forty-nine percent of respondents are not track-ing the flow of information at all, and only 20% track how information flows to other firms. however, understanding the flow of information is essential to improve it. The indus-try needs to provide better tools to firms to track the flow of project infor-mation, and firms need to take advantage of the tools available to them.

Specialty Trade Contractor Recommendations

■■ #1: inveSt in more Powerful mobile deviCeS

While the overall findings suggest that technology is not a major stumbling block, they also reveal that specialty trade contrac-tors have not invested in powerful, mobile tools. as mobile devices continue to become more afford-able, trade contractors must recognize that in an increasingly data-driven, environment, investment in mobile devices support-ing the exchange of data will be a critical business strategy.

■■ #2: PlaCe more emPhaSiS on Collaboration

Consistently, specialty trade contractors in the survey emphasize the value of productivity gains far more than they note improved collaboration. While productivity gains are critical, trade contrac-tors also need to enhance their ability to collabo-rate with other players on their project team, as the marketplace increasingly values collaborative firms.

Section Hed1Data:

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across�the�life�cycle�of�the�project�is�now�becoming�clear�for�most�players�in�the�industry,�and�the�more�advanced�firms�are�looking�at�collaboration�across�the�building�life�cycle�as�well.�In�addition,�contractors�are�seeking�ways�to�increase�their�productivity�and�work�more�efficiently.�all�of�these�efforts�depend�on�the�effective�flow�of�project�information.

technology�is,�of�course,�a�key�part�of�enhancing�the�flow�of�project�information�within�firms,�among�project�team�members�and�with�other�key�industry�players.�as�an�indus-try,�construction�has�been�relatively�conservative�about�the�adoption�of�new�technologies,�especially�among�smaller�firms�and�among�specialty�trade�contractors,�where�the�investments�in�new�equipment�and�training�can�seem�daunting.�this�study�on�information�mobility�confirms�that�this�is�still�a�problem.�

the�portability�of�electronic�devices�has�created�extraor-dinary�opportunities�to�exchange�data�with�the�field.�however,�currently,�as�the�results�of�this�study�reveal,�most�of�that�information�is�confined�to�relatively�simple�docu-ments.�the�ability�to�access�3D�models�and�to�use�mobile�devices�to�conduct�authoring�and�analysis�on�these�models�is�still�quite�limited,�both�in�terms�of�the�capability�of�the�devices�to�handle�that�amount�of�data�and�in�terms�of�training�of�workers�onsite�to�fully�take�advantage�of�these�tools.�the�potential�offered�by�engaging�the�jobsite�in�this�rich�flow�of�data,�though,�is�extraordinary,�and�could�have�powerful�implications�for�the�future.

In�addition,�technology�is�in�the�midst�of�a�paradigm�shift�as�functionality�moves�from�being�housed�in�laptops�and�local�servers�to�the�cloud.�this�shift�will�allow�for�the�kind�of�processing�power�needed�to�take�advantage�of�information�in�simple,�high-resolution�devices�such�as�tablets.�the�increased�portability�of�complex�project�information�will�support�the�efforts�to�enhance�the�flow�of�information�to�and�from�the�jobsite�and�to�encourage�greater�collaboration�among�key�players�in�the�construc-tion�industry.

the�findings�of�this�study�suggest�that�the�industry�is�beginning�to�recognize�the�critical�nature�of�this�shift,�but�they�also�reveal�the�distance�that�the�construction�industry�still�needs�to�go�to�be�able�to�take�advantage�of�the�benefits�offered�by�strong�information�mobility.

IntroductionData:

NoteAbouttheDataThe data and analysis in this report are based on an online survey conducted with 300 general contractors, construction man-agers, construction design/contracting firms and specialty trade contractors.

At the onset of the survey, respondents were presented with the following definition of information mobility: “The movement of project information so that team members are able to access and interact with appro-priate information at any point in the con-struction project process, regardless of their physical location.”

The data include two major types of comparisons:

• By Firm Size: Includes differences between large firms, defined as those with annual revenues of $10 million or more, and small firms, those with annual revenues less than $10 million.

• By Firm type: Includes comparisons between general contractors and specialty trade contractors. Note, for the purpose of analysis the general contractor group also includes the construction managers and construction design/contracting firms.

Because specialty trade contractors also tend to be smaller firms than those in the general contractor category, analysis of the data is careful to distinguish the findings more influenced by firm type and the find-ings more influenced by firm size. For more information about how this analysis was conducted, as well as for the full methodol-ogy, please see page 48.

SmartMarket Report

McGrawHillConstruction 9 www.construction.com� SmartMarket Report

Sixty-seven percent of the respondents report signif-icant improvement in project information mobility at their firms since 2011. (For�the�definition�of�informa-tion�mobility�used�in�the�survey,�see�page�48.) While�the�construction�industry�has�traditionally�been�a�little�behind�in�the�adoption�of�new�technologies,�the�explosion�in�versatile�portable�devices�and�ongoing�improvements�to�computer�and�communication�systems�are�clearly�reflected�in�the�industry.

General and specialty trade contractors both expe-rienced similar degrees of improvement, with no statistically significant differences at any level.�This�demonstrates�the�widespread�embrace�of�new�tech-nologies�and�means�for�improving�the�flow�of�project�information.

However,�there�are�significant�differences�in�the�degree�of�improvement�in�project�information�mobility�based�on�the�size�of�the�company.�Less�than�half�(48%)�of�companies�with�annual�revenues�of�less�than�$10�million�report�seeing�a�strong�degree�of�improved�information�mobility�compared�with�over�three�quarters�(77%)�of�companies�with�revenues�of�$10�million�or�more.�Larger�companies�may�not�only�have�more�resources�to�dedicate�to�the�purchase�of�equipment�and�training,�but�they�also�may�have�a�greater�need�on�larger,�more�complex�proj-ects�for�effective�ways�to�share�project�information�within�their�firms�than�smaller�companies�have.

Degree of Improved Information MobilitySince 2011

Benefits of ImprovedInformation Mobility

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ata By far, the greatest benefits reported by all respondents

that experienced improved information mobility in the last two years are better collaboration among team members and improved productivity.�While�there�are�variations�by�firm�type,�these�two�benefits�are�clearly�the�main�advantages�firms�currently�experience�from�their�improved�information�mobility.

Variation by Firm TypeDespite�the�shared�importance�of�the�top�two�benefits�among�all�contractors,�there�are�also�significant�differ-ences�in�the�percentage�of�general�contractors�and�specialty�trade�contractors�reporting�them.�

■■ a significantly larger percentage of general contrac-tors report that improved information mobility has helped them improve collaboration. This�is�consistent�with�the�importance�that�general�contractors�place�on�collaboration�as�a�goal.�Still�it�is�worth�noting�how�high�collaboration�ranks�among�trade�contractors�as�well.

■■ a significantly larger percentage of specialty trade contractors find they are seeking better productivity. In�the�survey,�this�was�specifically�defined�for�this�question�as�doing�more�with�the�same�staff.�In�an�industry�with�typically�small�profit�margins,�being�able�to�accomplish�more�work�with�the�same�staff�can�have�a�critical�impact�on�profitability.

AdditionAl Benefits for GenerAl ContrACtorsNearly half (42%) of general contractors report less reli-ance on blueprints and specifications. This�may�be�particularly�critical�to�them�because�they�not�only�need�to�provide�their�own�workers�with�project�documents,�but�they�also�typically�need�to�distribute�the�documents�to�the�specialty�trade�firms�they�have�contracted�for�projects,�and�elimination�of�the�mechanics�of�this�process�can�help�improve�their�overall�productivity.�It�is�also�likely�that�the�increased�use�of�bIm�by�contractors�contributes�to�this�finding,�with�better�information�mobility�allowing�them�to�benefit�more�from�the�use�of�bIm�onsite.�See�page�44�for�more�information�on�this�topic.

a little over one third (35%) report reduced risk.�This�finding�corresponds�well�to�the�better�levels�of�commu-nication�that�general�contractors�report�seeing�between�jobsites�and�the�office�(see�the�functions�supported�by�information�mobility�on�page�25).�

only�a�little�over�20%�of�the�contractors�report�seeing�lower�costs/higher�roI�(20%)�or�shorter�project�schedules�(20%)�due�to�improved�information�mobility.�

Benefits of Improved Information Mobility continued

AdditionAl Benefits for trAde ContrACtorsunlike�general�contractors,�about�one�third�of�specialty�trade�contractors�report�that�they�are�experiencing�less�reliance�on�blueprints/specifications,�reduced�risks�and�lower�costs/higher�roI.�

■■ trade contractors may be less invested than general contractors in reducing their reliance on paper project documents, so they may have invested less in this goal.

■■ the percentage of trade contractors reporting lower costs/higher ROI (31%) is significantly higher than general contractors (20%), which corresponds to the higher percentage that report improved levels of productivity.

SmartMarket Report McGrawHillConstruction 10 www.construction.com

Benefits of Improved Information Mobility

Benefits of Improved Information Mobility by Firm Type(according�to�Those�That�report�Improved�Information�mobility�in�the�Last�Two�years)Source: McGraw Hill Construction, 2013

Specialty Trade ContractorsGeneral Contractors

81%

70%

Better Collaboration Among Team Members

62%

77%

Better Productivity

42%

31%

Less Reliance on Blueprints/Speci�cations

20%

31%

Lower Costs/Higher ROI

17%

15%

Share Inspection with Many People

22%

16%

Shorter Project Schedules

4%

5%

Better Inspectors

35%

33%

Reduced Risk

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McGrawHillConstruction 11 www.construction.com� SmartMarket ReportBEN_C3.eps


9%

39%

18%

34%

Reduced by More than 10%Reduced 6%–10%Reduced 1%–5%Not Sure

Median Savings: 8.8%

Level of Reduction in Project Schedule Due to Improved Information Mobility(according�to�Firms�that�reported�Schedule�reductions)

Benefits of Improved Information MobilityBenefits of Improved Information Mobility continued

as noted previously, 20% of respondents report that their project schedules have been reduced as a result of the improved project information mobility they have experienced in the last two years. The�ability�to�improve�the�flow�of�project�information�can�help�improve�sched-ules�by�avoiding�unnecessary�delays�for�approvals,�as�well�as�avoiding�incorrect�or�outdated�information�use�in�the�field,�which�could�lead�to�costly�reworking�of�elements�of�a�project.

the majority of the respondents that have experi-enced these reductions (72%) find that their schedule is reduced by between 1% and 10%, with 39% finding 6% to 10% reductions, and 34% finding 1% to 5% reductions.�This�demonstrates�that�for�many�firms,�the�schedule�delays�are�enough�to�have�an�impact�on�the�profitability�of�a�project.

Interestingly,�only�9%�are�unsure�what�level�of�sched-ule�reduction�they�have�experienced,�revealing�that�respondents�feel�confident�in�their�ability�to�deter-mine�the�impact�of�the�flow�of�information�on�project�schedules.

Schedule Reductions Due to ImprovedInformation Mobility

Variation by Firm Sizethe percentage of respondents reporting bene-fits achieved from improved information mobility do not vary as strongly by firm size as some of the other results in this survey, including the goals and func-tions supported by the flow of project information.�This�is�likely�due�to�the�fact�that�only�those�that�have�expe-rienced�improved�information�mobility�in�the�last�two�years�responded�to�this�question,�and�far�fewer�firms�with�annual�revenues�under�$10�million�were�included�among�the�firms�that�did�experience�this�improvement.�Therefore,�the�small�firms�that�did�respond�to�this�ques-tion�are�much�more�likely�to�have�made�the�technology�and�training�investments�necessary�to�see�the�benefits�of�improved�mobility.

■■ Better Collaboration among team Members: This�is�one�benefit�reported�by�a�significantly�larger�percentage�

of�firms�with�annual�revenues�of�$10�million�and�over�(85%)�than�by�smaller�firms�(60%).�Large�firms�consis-tently�see�collaboration�as�more�important�and�better�supported�by�information�mobility�than�smaller�firms.�(See�pages�22�and�25).

■■ Less Reliance on Blueprints and Specifications: Forty-one�percent�of�large�firms�also�report�this�benefit.�The�large�firms�may�have�greater�need�to�share�documents�internally,�and,�like�the�general�contractors,�may�find�greater�payback�in�investments�to�reduce�their�reliance�on�paper�documentation.�In�addition,�the�2012�Busi-ness Value of BIM in North America SmartMarket Report reveals�that�large�firms�are�more�likely�to�be�actively�using�bIm,�and�this�combined�with�improved�project�information�flow�may�account�for�their�reduced�reliance�on�blueprints�and�specifications.�

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ata twenty-five percent of respondents that experienced

improved information mobility in the last two years report lower costs and higher project ROI as a result.�

Reduced Costs Due to Improved Information Mobilityas�with�schedule�reductions,�most�respondents��find�that�cost�reductions�run�between�1%�and�10%�of�total�project�cost—with�a�median�savings�for�all�respondents�of�9.6%.�However,�a higher percentage of specialty trade contractors (42%) report decreases of 6% to 10%, while a higher percentage of general contractors (42%) report decreases of 1% to 5%. even�though�the�difference�is�not�statistically�significant,�it�is�notable.�

one�factor�that�may�contribute�to�this�finding�is�that�general�contractors�will�have�higher�total�project�costs�than�trade�contractors,�but�the�actual�value�of�the�benefits�they�experience�may�be�more�commensurate�with�those�experienced�by�the�trade�contractors.�Therefore,�those�benefits�would�account�for�a�lower�percentage�of�their�total�project�cost.

Increased Project ROI Due to Improved Information Mobilityof�the�contractors�that�reported�reduced�costs�and�increased�roI,�32%�report�an�increase�of�6%�or�more�in�their�project�roI�due�to�improvements�in�information�mobility�in�the�last�two�years.�

VAriAtion By firm typeWhile�a�higher�percentage�of�specialty�trade�contractors�(53%)�report�project�roI�increases�in�this�range�compared�with�general�contractors�(36%),�general�contractors�are�at�higher�percentages�in�the�extreme�high�and�low�ranges.�Fifteen�percent�of�gCs�report�that�they�experience�increases�of�less�than�1%,�compared�with�just�3%�of�trade�contractors,�and�12%�of�gCs�experienced�increases�of�greater�than�10%,�compared�with�6%�of�trade�contractors.�

While�further�study�is�necessary�to�understand�why�general�contractors�experience�wider�ranges�of�project�roI�payback,�part�of�the�reason�may�be�uneven�experi-ence�of�improved�information�mobility�across�a�wider�range�of�their�goals.�The�broad�array�of�tasks�conducted�by�gCs�may�require�the�improvements�they�have�expe-rienced�in�information�mobility�to�impact�a�wider�variety�of�areas.�Those�that�are�able�to�capitalize�on�multiple�factors�at�once�may�be�able�to�see�stronger�roI�impacts�than�those�with�more�focused�use�of�their�improved�infor-mation�mobility,�and�that�may�have�wider�impacts�than�

Benefits of Improved Information Mobility continued

the�trade�contractors,�who�have�generally�more�focused�tasks�and�experience.


Impact on Costs and Project ROI ofImproved Information Mobility

BEN_C4.eps


11%

3%

36%

9%

38%

3%

Decreased by More than 15%Decreased 11%–15%Decreased 6%–10%

Decreased by Less than 1%Not Sure

Decreased 1%–5%

Median Savings: 9.6%

Level of Cost Decrease Due to Improved Information Mobility (according�to�Firms�that�reported�Lower�Costs/Improved�roI)

Level of ROI Increase Due to Improved Information Mobility (according�to�Firms�that�reported�Lower�Costs/Improved�roI)

BEN_C5.eps


15%

8% 23%

9%

45%

Increased by More than 10%Increased 6%–10%Increased 1%–5%

Not SureIncreased by Less than 1%

Average Savings: 2.0%


The items selected by respondents as the most impor-tant factors for encouraging the movement of project information make clear that the big picture, rather than specific or technical issues, is the most critical in encour-aging the flow of information and sharing across teams. The�respondents�are�concerned�about�their�access�to�project�information,�their�ability�to�share�it�and�their�overall�desire�to�improve�productivity.

Among�the�options�selected�by�less�than�10%�of�the�respondents�as�one�of�the�most�important�factors�encouraging�project�information�movement�are�specific�capabilities�of�available�construction�apps�(6%),�the�ability�to�tap�into�cloud-based�software�(7%)�and�interoperability�(5%).�Firms�recognize�that�the�technologies�and�systems�available�are�less�important�than�the�overall�goals�of�exchanging�information�and�increasing�productivity.

Despite�the�fact�that�the�same�top�four�factors�influ-ence�all�respondents,�there�are�significant�differences�between�what�has�the�strongest�influence�for�general�contractors�and�specialty�trade�contractors.

Variation by Firm Type

General ContraCtorsTwenty-six percent consider easy access to project infor-mation the most important factor, while 18% find the increased ability to share project documents across the project team is most important.

These�findings�suggest�that�some�general�contractors�are�thinking�beyond�simple�file�sharing�to�ways�in�which�project�information�can�be�more�collaboratively�shared�within�their�company.

speCialty trade ContraCtorsThe highest percentage of specialty trade contrac-tors consider increasing productivity as the main driver encouraging the movement of project information at their firms.�This�finding�corresponds�to�higher�emphasis�by�trade�contractors�on�productivity�goals�(see�page�23)�and�increased�productivity�benefits�(see�page�10).

Forty-seven percent of trade contractors also find that easy access to project information and access to current project information is important to encour-age the movement of project information.�In�fact,�the�percentage�of�trade�contractors�ranking�access�to�current�project�information�is�significantly�higher�than�the�general�contractors.�Trade�contractors�are�often�among�the�last�to�receive�project�information,�and�often�they�are�also�the�ones�who�most�immediately�need�to�act�on�the�

Most Important Factors Encouragingthe Movement of Project Information

Drivers and ObstaclesData: In

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59%

45%

Increased Ability to Share Project Documents

54%

47%

Easy Access to Project Information Regardless of Location/Device

39%

54%

Desire to Improve Productivity

24%

23%

Access to Good Scheduling/Project Management Software

23%

21%

Ability to Work Collaboratively with Other Firms

21%

15%

Secure Access to Project Information Regardless of Location/Device

12%

13%

Support from Senior Leadership

7%

13%

Provide Site Personnel Access to BIM/3D CAD

35%

47%

Access to Current Project Information

DO_D1.eps

Factors Ranked as Most Important to Encourage the Movement of Project Information

information�they�receive;�therefore,�it�is�not�surprising�that�they�would�find�great�value�in�being�able�to�ensure�that�the�information�is�current.�

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Drivers and ObstaclesMost Important Factors Encouraging the Movement of Project Information continued

There is broad agreement across the industry about the factors that slow the movement of project information, with no significant differences between general contrac-tors and trade contractors on any of the options.�This�demonstrates�that�focusing�on�a�few�barriers�can�have�a�significant�impact�on�helping�contracting�firms�increase�the�degree�of�information�mobility�in�their�organizations.

The two most critical issues, considered among the top three obstacles by over half of the respondents, are the difficulty of accessing project information in different locations outside the office and the lack of technology adoption by other project team members. Interestingly,�the�focus�of�these�two�issues�is��quite�different.

■■ difficulty of accessing Project Information Outside the Office: This�problem�can�largely�be�addressed�through�technology�solutions.�From�greater�bandwidth�to�better�access�to�servers�and�more�information�accessible�in�the�cloud,�solutions�focus�on�tools�and�systems.

■■ Lack of Technology adoption by Other Project Team Members: This�is�clearly�a�technology�issue,�but�it�may�also�extend�to�the�engagement�of�the�other�users�as�well.�The�finding�that�interoperability�is�only�a�limited�concern�compared�with�this�issue�suggests�that�the�high�performance�of�this�finding�may�have�as�much�to�do�with�the�approach�of�the�other�team�members�to�infor-mation�sharing�as�it�does�to�the�technology�gaps�they�experience.�Information�flow�has�to�be�embraced�by�all�users�to�be�effective�in�providing�benefits,�and�that�includes�other�team�members.

The importance of getting information exchange better established with the site is also evident here, with 39%

Factors that Slow the Movementof Project Information

DO_D2withfirsts_#REV_0911.eps

Dif�culty Accessing Project Information Outside of the Of�ce

Lack of Technology Adoption by Other Firms Limits Usefulness

Inability to Effectively Use Project Data Onsite

Concerns about Training Staff

Lack of Useful Apps forConstruction Projects


Top Choice

Top Three Choices

26%

15%

11%

13%

Lack of Interoperability WithExisting Software

Concerns About ReducingSite Staff Productivity

Versioning Control Issues

Concerns about UnauthorizedUse of Information

13%

10%

6%

4%

3%

59%

52%

39%

35%

31%

30%

20%

18%

8%

Top Factors That Slow the Movement of Project Information

Variation by Size of Firmone�factor�selected�as�an�important�driver�by�a�signif-icantly�higher�percentage�of�large�firms,�whether�measured�by�number�of�employees�or�by�total�revenue,�is�the�ability�to�give�site�personnel�access�to�bIm/3D�CAD.��Thirteen percent of the firms with revenue above $10 million report giving site personnel access to BIM is important compared with 5% of smaller firms.

mcgraw�hill�Construction’s�studies�on�bIm�consis-tently�reveal�wider�adoption�and�use�of�bIm�by�large�firms�compared�with�small�ones,�including�in�the�2012�Business Value of BIM in North America SmartMarket Report,�and�this�finding�is�consistent�with�those�results.�

Drivers and ObstaclesFactors that Slow the Movement of Project Information continued

finding that they cannot use project data on the site effectively.�however,�among�the�obstacles�that�were�ranked�first�by�respondents,�this�issue�has�the�fifth�highest�percentage�that�select�it�(11%),�rather�than�the�third�highest�when�considering�all�options�ranked�first,�second�and�third.�

These�results�reveal�that,�while�effective�use�of�project�data�onsite�plagues�a�significant�percentage�of�firms,�fewer�firms�are�prioritizing�it�as�the�most�critical�issue�(11%).�Difficulty�accessing�project�information�outside�the�office�in�general�is�weighted�much�heavier,�with�26%�reporting�it�as�the�top�factor�slowing�the�movement�of�project�information.�This�may�reflect�the�assumption�by�many�that�resolving�the�larger�issue�of�general�access�is�more�critical�than�focusing�on�getting�information�to�the�site,�but�it�also�demonstrates�the�challenges�faced�in�sharing�project�information�with�the�site�effectively.�

Concerns about training staff are also important for over one third of the respondents. As�with�most�indus-tries,�construction�is�facing�the�challenge�of�leadership�that�is�not�necessarily�as�adept�at�taking�full�advantage�of�information�mobility�as�the�younger,�less�experi-enced�workers.�This�can�lead�to�a�training�gap�in�terms�of�adoption�and�full�exploitation�of�newer�technologies�that�capitalize�on�the�flow�of�information.�With�this�factor�selected�by�13%�as�the�most�significant�factor�slowing�the�movement�of�project�information,�it�is�an�issue�that�needs�to�be�addressed.�

It�is�also�worth�noting�what�few�of�the�respondents�consider�to�be�among�the�top�three�issues�slowing�the�movement�of�project�information.�Respondents are far less concerned about loss of productivity or the security of their project information than they are about issues of access, collaboration and training, which suggests that they are open to the idea of increasing the flow of infor-mation in their companies.�This�finding�is�particularly�relevant�given�the�high�level�of�Ceos�and�project�manag-ers�that�responded�to�the�survey.�lack�of�leadership�support�is�not�an�issue.�This�may�suggest�that�solutions�that�can�help�resolve�some�of�the�top�issues,�such�as�access�to�data�storage�through�cloud�computing,�could�see�considerable�interest�in�the�contractor�community�as�that�industry�continues�to�grow�more�sophisticated.

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Variation by Size of FirmA�significantly�higher�percentage�of�firms�with�an�annual�revenue�of�$10�million�and�over�(22%)�select�versioning�control�issues�from�unmanaged�content�as�a�concern�compared�with�smaller�firms�(11%).�

The�larger�a�firm,�the�more�likely�they�are�to�have��multiple�workers�engaging�with�information�on�the�same�project�at�the�same�time.�The�more�people�that�work�with�information�on�a�specific�project,�the�more�likely�problems�will�arise�due�to�working�with�older,�outdated�documents.�

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but�the�types�of�firms�that�they�consider�important�to�collaborate�with�varies�between�general�and�specialty�trade�contractors.�In�addition,�in�the�next�two�years,��both�general�and�trade�contractors�see�a�shift�in�terms�of�the�players�that�they�think�are�most�important�to��collaborate�with.�

This�finding�supports�the�trend�that�the�industry�is�engaging�in�more�collaborative�project�delivery�systems�—as�firms�begin�to�collaborate�more�frequently�with�new�players,�the�tools�they�need�to�support�their�collaboration�and�their�ability�to�exchange�information�must�evolve.

Variation by Firm Type

General ContraCtorsThe largest percentage of general contractors report that design professionals are the most important part-ners with whom they collaborate.�As�integrated�project�delivery�continues�to�gain�interest,�it�is�not�surprising�that�there�is�a�slight�growth�in�the�percentage�of�general�contractors�that�rank�design�professionals�as�the�first,�second�or�third�most�important�player�with�which�to�collaborate.�Collaboration�between�design�profession-als�and�general�contractors�has�been�demonstrated�to�improve�building�energy�performance,�decrease�prob-lems�on�the�jobsite�and�address�the�often�adversarial�relationship�between�these�two�types�of�firms.

Owners also increase in importance for general contractors,�from�being�selected�by�the�fourth�largest�percentage�as�one�of�the�top�three�most�important�players�to�collaborate�with�to�being�selected�by�the�second�highest�percentage.�one�emerging�trend�in�the�industry�is�for�contractors�to�take�a�more�active�role�after�the�building�is�completed�in�the�overall�life�cycle�of�the�building,�and�the�ability�to�effectively�share�information�with�owners�will�directly�impact�that�approach.

All�other�players�decrease�in�the�percentage�of�general�contractors�that�rank�them�among�the�top�three�most�important�in�the�next�two�years.�Surprisingly,�this�includes�field�supervisors.�given�the�general�trend�to�recognize�the�importance�of�communicating�with�the�field�evident�in�the�findings�throughout�this�report,�this�result�is�a�little�surprising.�most�likely,�it�does�not�reflect�decreased�importance�of�successful�communication�with�the�field�as�much�as�it�does�the�rising�focus�in�the�industry�on�collaboration�pre-�and�post-construction.

Drivers and Obstacles continued


Importance of Collaboration with Other Firms

DO_C6abGC_#REV_0911.eps

72%

77%

60%

54%

59%

57%

58%

62%

24%

20%

21%

20%

Design Professionals

Field Supervisors

Specialty Trade Contractors

Owners

Estimators

General Contractors/Construction Managers

27%

18%

27%

21%

10%

9%

25%

31%

9%

6%

7%

5%


In Two YearsTop Choice

Current

Top Three Most Important Firms/Individuals to Collaborate With (According�to�general�Contractors)

Drivers and ObstaclesImportance of Collaboration with Other Firms continued

speCialty trade ContraCtorsBoth now and in two years, general contractors are selected by the highest percentage of specialty trade contractors as the firms with which it is most important to collaborate.�given�the�fact�that�general�contractors�are�generally�the�firms�with�which�trade�contractors�work�the�most,�this�finding�is�not�surprising.�

More striking is the result that specialty trade contractors are expecting to significantly increase their collaboration with firms that they have not tradi-tionally collaborated with in the past, such as design professionals and owners, as�well�as�a�slight�increase�in�their�collaboration�with�other�trade�contractors.�This�is�particularly�notable�given�the�decreases�evident�in�their�expectation�of�collaborating�with�field�supervisors�and�estimators,�which�are�more�traditionally�their�partners��in�collaboration.�

These�findings�suggest�that�trade�contractors�are�beginning�to�consider�involvement�in�the�pre-construc-tion�and�post-construction�stages�increasingly�important. They�imply�that�trade�firms�are�increasingly�giving�greater�consideration�with�how�they�will�work�more�collaboratively�throughout�the�project�life�cycle,�expand-ing�their�scope�of�involvement�in�the�project.�They�reveal�that�the�shift�to�a�more�collaborative�approach�is�begin-ning�to�be�considered�by�more�companies,�and�this�shift�demonstrates�the�need�for�improved�information�mobil-ity�for�all�firms�to�support�those�collaborative�efforts.

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85%

81%

67%

60%

49%

36%

46%

55%

29%

35%

21%

24%

General Contractors/Construction Managers

Field Supervisors

Estimators


Owners



In Two YearsTop Choice

Current

42%

27%

35%

29%

14%

13%

7%

13%

7%

10%

1%

9%

Top Three Most Important Firms/Individuals to Collaborate With (According�to�Specialty�Trade�Contractors)

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From your perspective as an owner, how has the flow of infor-mation changed in the last five or ten years?Moebes: It has certainly changed a lot over the last 10 years. [go] back to, say, 2003 and look at what we had back then. Cell phones didn’t have much photography in them at that point. It was pre-smartphone, pre-tablet. We did not really have broad-band Internet access back then so a lot of information mobility was restricted to some of the earlier ftp sites. you had to have cable or lan-type of networks in jobsite trailers in order for people to have connectiv-ity. So you look at what we have now, you see web-based project manage-ment tools—that are the backbone of jobsites these days—are now acces-sible from smartphones and tablets through a wireless connection.

I also think the big benefit of infor-mation mobility is speed. Suddenly people are able to get answers or they have actionable content a lot quicker, whereas in the past, it used to take hours to get that actionable content when you were on the jobsite.

What do you think would improve the flow of information on your jobsites?Moebes: real-time video conferenc-ing from a smartphone or tablet will certainly make an improvement. It will allow, for example, a superinten-dent to conference in an architect or an engineer or the owner when he’s

John Moebes, AIA, NCARBDirector of Construction, Crate&Barrel

With extensive experience in the architecture, engineering and construction sectors, John Moebes is recognized as an industry leader in the use of Internet-based project management tools, building information modeling and digital document review to improve project performance.

Interview: Thought Leader


looking at a problem or an opportu-nity and get an immediate read on that situation.

the big thing, though, is being able to transfer modeled informa-tion, from a bIm environment or a 3D environment on the design side, and making that data or that information mobile into the field. right now, that information goes into this incredi-bly dumbed-down transfer into two-dimensional documents. however, the technology is out there and it’s growing with companies like trimble and leica who have the ability, now, with instruments like the nomad or the total Station.

In three to four years you’re going to see a blend of spatial recognition software and hardware with instru-ments coming out of trimble and leica with augmented reality tech-nology that you see already for tab-lets. a foreman will be able to hold up his tablet—or maybe his lens on his safety glass that’s actually a google glass—and he will be able to actually see the virtual location in real-time of the work that he’s trying to place. that’s where we’re going to get to, I think, pretty quickly.

As an owner, do you have liability concerns about greater sharing of information?Moebes: yes, we do. I’m not sure we’ve addressed them well. When-ever you take a lot of hierarchy out of a process and you allow more free-dom, more collaboration, and you make your team and your process

more horizontal versus vertical, you do run more risks of the downsides of sharing. however, I think we rely on our team to tell us when they’re not comfortable with sharing something. Digital models are a good example, where there may be a lot of proprie-tary data, actual visual data, in some of those models that the consultant or the fabricator contractor spent a lot of time developing.

What do you think is holding the industry back from being able to improve the flow of project information? Moebes: to some degree, I’m not sure the construction industry has really absorbed what the productiv-ity increases are of basic smartphone technology with respect to tracking materials, finding materials onsite, finding people onsite, improvements of safety and improvements in effi-ciency. We spend a lot of energy absorbing technology in construc-tion versus applying it. Some of the other industries are able to absorb technology faster and then leverage it, like accounting and banking. So either we have to absorb it faster and then leverage it more, or maybe we don’t adopt the new stuff as quickly, and we take basic 2013 technology and start looking at opportunities within aeC to improve workflow and improve profitability. n

McGraw Hill Construction 19 www.construction.com

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ata Most of the firms surveyed currently use digital PdF files,

digital documents and drawing files, and paper docu-ments and drawings to exchange project information within their firm, with between 89% and 92% report-ing that they share these kind of documents. this finding demonstrates that despite the wider use of different tech-nologies onsite, the actual types of information being exchanged is still focused on different ways of sharing traditional drawings and specifications. even if these documents are digital, they are limited to these traditional formats. the finding reveals that firms, even within their own companies, are still largely sharing files rather than sharing data in a more collaborative fashion.

However, within the next two years, use of these highly traditional document formats is expected to decline dramatically. the contractors that expect to use digital pDf files, and digital document and drawing files declines by nearly one third, and the most traditional means of exchanging information—through paper docu-ments and drawings and handwritten notes—declines even more precipitously, with 43 and 37 percentage point drops, respectively. While firms may not be expecting to abandon use of these formats completely, they may be expecting to use them less than they do now, which could explain the dramatic decline. It may also explain why ftp sites, a popular way of sharing these kind of documents currently, see a 20 percentage point drop in use as well.

Interestingly, the level of use of formats that favor collaboration and improve the flow of information—such as shared storage locations and information/document management systems—decline far less dramatically in the percentage reporting expected use in two years. this suggests that contractors are expecting their means of sharing project information to change, but they are not sure exactly what those changes will look like.

Cloud storage services are the only approach with a larger percentage expecting to use it in the future than are currently doing so. In fact, the growth is dramatic, with 62% more of the respondents expecting to take this approach in the future.

however, with just 60% of the respondents expect-ing to use cloud storage services in the next two years, it is unlikely that all the declines in the other approaches and formats are fully represented in the growth of the use of the cloud. this suggests that many firms are still shift-ing from one means to another, and that the industry as a whole is still in search of the best solutions for sharing project information within their firms.

Formats and Approaches for ExchangingProject Information

Movement of ConstructionProject Information

Data:

92%

58%

90%

58%

89%

46%

72%

35%

67%

52%

44%

37%

61%

41%

52%

33%

48%

47%

48%

43%

37%

60%

MPI_A2ab.eps


In Two YearsCurrent

Digital PDF Files

Digital Documents and Drawing Files

Paper Documents and Drawings

Handwritten Documents/Notes

Shared Storage Location

FTP

Instant Messaging

Online Meetings

Information/Document Management System

Digital Model Files

Cloud Storage Services

Formats and Approaches for Exchanging Project Information

SmartMarketReport

Variation by Firm TypeCurrently, there are only two means of sharing project information used by a significantly larger percentage of general contractors than specialty trade firms:

■■ Information/document Management Systems• General Contractors: 53%• Specialty Trade Contractors: 42%

■■ Online Meetings• General Contractors: 56%• Specialty Trade Contractors: 37%

one element that these two means of information sharing have in common when compared with other formats and approaches—like digital drawing files, pDfs and model files—is that each can also be used to improve project coordination, an activity more critical to the success of a general contractor than a typical trade contractor.

the data also suggest that general contractors may be leading the industry into wider use of these approaches since there are no statistically significant differences between general and specialty trade contractors in the formats and approaches that they expect to use to share project information in two years.

Variation by Firm Size While the top three means of sharing data are currently used nearly equally by small and large firms, there are major differences by firm size for other formats and approaches. With the exception of handwritten documents and notes, large firms, those with annual revenues of $10 million or more, are consistently using more of these formats and approaches than small firms. this finding demonstrates that large firms typically employ more means of sharing data overall than small companies, which may be due to more technology and technological expertise in large companies.

Most approaches with statistically significant differ-ences in the percentage of large and small firms that use them are also those that favor collaboration, including use of shared storage locations, online meetings, infor-mation/document management systems and digital models. this is consistent with other results that demon-strate the value placed on collaboration by large firms.

Interestingly, small firms report wider adoption of nearly all these approaches in the next two years. this suggests that small firms expect to soon equal large firms in terms of their ability to collaborate.

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95%

87%

92%

86%

91%

85%

77%

48%

72%

41%

53%

51%

70%

77%

61%

22%

60%

26%

56%

22%

40%

31%

MPI_A2abSize.eps


Revenue Less than $10 MillionRevenue More than $10 Million

Digital PDF Files

Digital Documents and Drawing Files

Paper Documents and Drawings

Shared Storage Location

FTP

Handwritten Documents/Notes

Online Meetings

Information/Document Management System

Digital Model Files

Instant Messaging

Cloud Storage Services

Current Formats and Approaches for Exchanging Project Information (according to firms by Size)

Movement of Construction Project InformationFormats and approaches for Exchanging Project Information ConTinued

SmartMarketReport

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ata Seventy-four percent of the respondents report that the

movement of project information has a positive impact on their productivity, and only 5% find it has a negative impact. In fact, 34% report a highly positive impact.

this finding suggests that even with their formats and approaches often limited to exchanging traditional draw-ings and files (see page 40), the ability to do so digitally has still had major productivity impacts for firms. the wide use of mobile tools (see page 34) and the ability to access project information from a variety of locations (see page 28) both contribute to these broadly positive results.

Variation by Firm TypeInterestingly, the same percentage of general and specialty trade contractors report a positive impact from the movement of project information at their company. however, 8% of the trade contractors report a negative impact, compared with only 2% of general contractors, a differential not seen when comparing firms by size (see below).

there could be several reasons that account for this differential. Some trade contractors may find it more challenging to find the right apps and programs to take advantage of increased project mobility in terms of their trade specialties, and dealing with different general contractors with different systems may create larger obstacles among trade contractors than general contrac-tors typically face. however, it is important to note that 8% is still a very small finding and that trade contractors are also reporting positive productivity impacts overall.

Variation by Firm Sizethe larger the firm, the higher the percentage of respon-dents that experience positive productivity impacts, growing from 59% of very small firms (with annual reve-nues of less than $1 million) to 82% of very large ones (with annual revenues of more than $50 million). With more large firms able to take advantage of the various formats and approaches for exchanging project infor-mation, it is not surprising that more of them would also experience productivity gains.

Movement of Construction Project Information ConTinued


Productivity Impact of the Movementof Project Information

MPI_A3Size_#REV_0911.eps


Positive/VeryPositive Impact

Neutral Negative/VeryNegative Impact

59%

35%

7%

Revenue Lessthan $1 Million

70%

24%

7%

Revenue$1 Million toLess than$10 Million

73%

24%

3%

Revenue$10 Million toLess than$50 Million

82%

5%13%

Revenue$50 Millionor more

Productivity Impact of the Movement of Project Information

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ata Goals Effectively Supported by the

Current Flow of Project Informationone reason that nearly three quarters of the respon-dents find that the flow of project information helps increase their productivity is because of the number of goals it helps them to achieve. Over two thirds report that the flow of project information in their firm effec-tively supports their efforts to communicate with the site, collaborate within their own firms and improve project quality, in addition to the general goal of improv-ing productivity.

the fact that over half see important goals like commu-nication with the owner, increased profitability and reduced risk effectively supported by the current flow of project information, demonstrates the improvements in tools and methods for exchanging project information that respondents have experienced in the last few years.

Variation by Firm typethere are two goals that a significantly larger percentage of general contractors find to be supported effectively by the flow of project information at their firm, compared with specialty trade contractors:

■■ Collaboration with Others Outside their Firm: Selected by 73% of general contractors, compared with 54% of trade contractors

■■ Communication with Owner: Selected by 75% of general contractors, compared with 45% of trade contractors

given the fact that both of these activities would be higher priorities for general contractors than for many trade contractors, these findings suggest that their tools for project information exchange may work quite effec-tively for achieving both of these goals.

Variation by Size oF FirmIn addition to collaboration with others outside the firm, a higher percentage of large contractors with annual reve-nues of $10 million or more report that the flow of project information is effective in helping them achieve the following goals than smaller contractors:

■■ Maintain Office Communication with Site: 79% of large firms, compared with 57% of small firms

■■ Collaborate with Project teams Within Firm: 78% of large firms, compared with 50% of small firms

■■ Enable Information access for Workers on Site: 67% of large firms, compared with 45% of small firms

It is not surprising that large firms would be more aware


of how effectively they are achieving communication and collaboration goals within their firms and beyond, even more than smaller contractors.

Goals that Suggest the Need for Improved Project Information Mobilitydespite the strength of the results, there are also several goals that could be better achieved if the flow of project information were improved. an examination of the combined percentage of the goals that information mobil-ity does currently support and those it should support reveals the gaps that need to be filled by improved


Goals Supported by the Flow of Project Information

MPI_B1ab.eps


Currently Supports Should Support

Maintain Of�ce Communication with Site

Increase Productivity

Collaborate with Project Teams Within Firm

Improve Project Quality

Collaborate with Others Outside Firm

Communicate with Owner

Increase Pro�tability

Access to Information for Workers Onsite

Reuse Information on Future Projects

Reduce Project Risk

Manage/Train Workforce

71% 11%

68% 15%

67% 9%

67% 14%

65% 11%

62% 9%

60% 20%

59% 20%

55% 19%

53% 19%

34% 25%

Goals that Project Information Flow Does Support and Should Support

Movement of Construction Project InformationGoals Supported by the Flow of Project Information ConTinued

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ata information mobility:

■■ Increased Profitability: the large percentage (20%) that report this is not sufficiently fulfilled may be in part due to the challenge of capturing the exact return on invest-ment of improved project information mobility.

■■ access to Information for Workers Onsite: this factor is particularly important to specialty trade contrac-tors, with 20% regarding this as a goal that information mobility should support better than it currently does.

■■ Increased Productivity: the importance of this factor leads 15% of the firms to feel it should be supported better, despite the fact that 68% already think it is well supported.

■■ Improved Project Quality: again, despite a high percentage reporting that their tools currently support this goal, 14% also see this as a need that is not being sufficiently fulfilled.

While the largest percentage (25%) note that the flow of project information at their firm does not currently support managing and training their workforce, fewer also find that this is a goal that is or needs to be supported in this way, suggesting that respondents place more weight on achieving other goals.

Most Important Goals

moSt important GoalS that are eFFectiVely Supportedrespondents were asked to rank the top first, second and third most important goals among those that they found were effectively supported by the flow of project information. despite the fact that there is little differ-ence between contractors and subcontractors about the goals that the flow of project information supports, the way that these two firm types prioritize their goals is very different.

■■ General Contractors: overall, roughly one third of general contractors select the top six goals as most important, with only an eight percentage point range between the most important and the sixth most impor-tant goal. productivity, collaboration, communication and project quality are all critical to their overall work.

■■ trade Contractors: trade contractors place greater weight on business factors like productivity and prof-itability than they do on the specific elements that can help them achieve those overall goals, such as improved collaboration and communication.




37%

57%

Increase Productivity

37%

28%

Collaborate with Project Teams Within Firm

34%

34%

Improve Project Quality

29%

42%

Increase Pro�tability

31%

27%

Maintain Of�ce Communication with Site

33%

18%

Collaborate with Others Outside Firm

MPI_B2_GCSub.eps

Most Important Goals Currently Supported by Project Information Flow by Player(top 4 for general and Specialty trade Contractors)

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ata Functions That Are Currently

Supported Or Need to be Supported by the Flow of Project InformationOver half of all respondents report that the flow of project information effectively supports their ability to manage project schedules and exchange valuable infor-mation with workers onsite as well as securely across project teams. most of these functions are directly asso-ciated with process of information flow, but one activity, project scheduling, has been the clear beneficiary of improved information mobility for general and specialty trade contractors.

While respondents report that improved informa-tion mobility helps them to push information to the field, they are less satisfied with the information they are able to obtain from the field. over one third feel that they should be able to get real-time data from the field or analyze it effectively based on the current flow of project information at their company.

Variation by type oF Firmgeneral contractors and specialty trade contractors generally agree about the functions currently supported by the flow of project information, but for the top three factors, a significantly higher percentage of general contractors than trade contractors report that those func-tions are supported effectively.

■■ Manage Project Schedule• General Contractors: 68%• Specialty Trade Contractors: 57%

■■ Ensure Onsite Information Is Current• General Contractors: 64%• Specialty Trade Contractors: 51%

■■ access to Project Information In the Field• General Contractors: 65%• Specialty Trade Contractors: 43%

however, specialty trade contractors recognize that their tools should help them effectively perform these func-tions. twenty-one percent of trade contractors believe that project information flow at their firm should allow them to manage project schedule, and 27% expect the same impact on ensuring onsite information is current. However, the most striking finding is access to project information in the field, with nearly double the percent-age of trade contractors (34%) reporting that information flow should make this more effective than it currently does, compared with general contractors (18%).


the overall impact of this demonstrates that general and specialty trade contractors are largely seeking the same functions to be supported by the flow of informa-tion, but that general contractors are generally more successful in supporting these activities with their current tools and approaches.


Functions Supported by the Flowof Project Information

MPI_B4ab.eps


Currently Supports Should Support

63% 19%

58% 23%

56% 25%

53% 18%

35% 36%

35% 19%

31% 21%

26% 34%

21% 25%

11% 25%

Manage Project Schedule

Ensure Onsite Information Is Current

Access Project Information Onsite

Securely Share Documents/Revisions Across Project Teams

Gather Real-Time Data From Field

Ensure Site Safety

Work with Large Digital Files (Greater than 50 MG)

Analyze Real-Time Field Data

Provide Access to 3D CAD/BIM Onsite

Use Point Cloud Information

Functions That the Flow of Project Information Does and Should Support

Movement of Construction Project InformationFunctions Supported by the Flow of Project Information ConTinued

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Revenue Less than $10 MillionRevenue $10 Million or More

63%

44%

Access Project Information in the Field

61%

39%

Securely Share Documents/Revisions Across Project Teams

42%

23%

Gather Real-Time Data from Field

36%

18%

Work with Large Digital Files (Greater than 50 MG)

31%

18%

Analyze Real-Time Field Data

37%

27%

Ensure Site Safety

MPI_B4asize.eps

Functions that the Flow of Project Information Currently Support Effectively(functions with a Statistically Significant Difference reported by large and Small firms according to revenue)

Variation by Size oF Firmthe size of a firm by their annual revenues has a big impact on whether they find that the flow of project information at their firm supports the other functions tested in the survey, especially among the functions with less overall support. for six different functions out of the 10 included in the survey, statistically significant differ-ences occur in the percentage of respondents from large firms who find that they are getting effective support for these functions compared with respondents from small firms.

this suggests that, while certain functions are invested in by all firms, large firms may be able to use more resources for better tools and more training to maximize the use of those tools. Certainly the data demonstrate that large firms are using a wider array of devices, includ-ing more expensive ones (see page 35). Small firms may find that greater investment in improved information mobility is necessary to stay competitive and achieve greater productivity.

Interestingly, despite the wide range of functions impacted by firm size, only one category, access to project information while in the field, overlaps between the significant differences between general contrac-tors and specialty trade contractors. this reinforces the conclusion that the differences are due to the availabil-ity of resources rather than due to the need for different functions.

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Defining the Cloud according to the national Institute of Standards and technology’s (nISt) definition, cloud computing enables “ubiquitous, convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources” (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications and services). this essentially allows firms that use the cloud to store, manage and process data, as well as license subscription-based and web-enabled software solutions, without having to invest in additional hardware.

Construction Industry and the Cloudthe development of more powerful browsers and advancements in soft-ware development tools, along with a proliferation of high-speed data cen-ters, have enabled the development of complex applications that are web-based and hosted in the cloud. this kind of progress has made the move to cloud-based solutions a real pos-sibility for the construction industry, which typically relies on managing large quantities of data and varying workflows. for example, applications such as Customer relationship man-agement solutions and enterprise resource planning solutions have made the transition to the cloud.

Advantages of Scalabilitya key advantage offered by cloud computing is scalability. the cloud is practically infinitely scalable in terms

Construction in the Cloud—The Future ofCloud-Based Systems in Construction

Like many other industries, the construction industry is facing the need to acquire more computing power to manage increasing amounts of information and run business-critical applications. As a result, construction companies are increasingly looking to cloud-based software solutions so that they can reduce their costs and enhance their IT capabilities to be more flexible and competitive.


Sidebar: Construction in the Cloud

of computing power that can be used for processing requirements. It essentially eliminates the traditional bottlenecks created by the data stor-age capabilities of a desktop pC or a local server. for the construction industry, this also means a leveling of the playing field. With a network of remote servers at its fingertips, a small contractor now has access to the same amount of computing power as a large contractor.

Increased Communication Through Accessibilityarguably the biggest advantage of the cloud is that it is accessible from any computer or mobile device from any location. “the aeC industry in particular stands to benefit from this transition since the majority of work-ers are not in the main office, but are mobile,” says Wes Smith, cloud exec-utive officer for the Cram group, a leading cloud-based software ser-vices provider focused on the con-struction industry. Cloud-based software updates change instantly, eliminating the hassle of needing to synchronize data or upload changes to a centralized server. the ability of a project team to communicate and collaborate on a project is enhanced through status updates, blueprints, photos and legal documents, which can easily be accessed at an any time from any location.

Achieving Cost EfficienciesInvesting in hardware and multiple updates for traditional on-site sys-tems can be costly, whereas these types of costs are eliminated with cloud-based services, freeing up internal resources to be used for a firm’s core business rather than dealing with It. according to mike Driscoll, Infrastructure architect at the Walsh group, a general con-tracting firm based out of Chicago, “utilizing cloud-based software has significantly reduced our It infra-structure costs, both from a main-tenance perspective and in terms of time spent by It staff.”

The Future is BIMWith cloud-based software services, the traditional challenges to aeC firms when implementing bIm are eliminated. With a model located in the cloud supporting instant access and manipulation of data, the dif-ficulties of exchanging new ver-sions of the model and managing the data integrity vanishes. also, as bIm evolves beyond the processes associated with physical coordina-tion into more analytical coordina-tion, the requirements to undertake exhaustive data analysis on factors like energy, whole-life cost and main-tenance also grow. Cloud-based pro-viders offer unlimited computing power to address the needs for pro-cessing large amounts of data for which desktop pCs and local servers are less well suited. n


In�order�to�improve�information�mobility,�it�is�necessary�to�understand�the�role�played�by�the�company�servers�to�stream�project�information�to�other�servers�and�to�mobile�devices.�Seventy-six percent of the respondents report that they understand that role, which suggests that the industry has a basic, fundamental awareness of their technology needs.

Among those that are aware of the impact of the server on streaming information, nearly half (48%) find that their servers are very effective at streaming infor-mation to mobile devices or other servers,�and�the�remainder�are�nearly�evenly�split�between�those�who�find�their�servers�somewhat�effective�and�those�who�find�their�servers�ineffective.�

Two�conclusions�can�be�drawn�from�these�findings.�First,�the�fact�that�almost�half�have�servers�that�are�very�effective�suggests�that�expanding�information�mobil-ity�has�to�do�with�more�than�just�the�technology�that�supports�it.�Softer�solutions—like�changing�the�culture�of�the�industry�to�encourage�sharing�and�appropriate�soft-ware�that�enables�effective�sharing—may�have�an�even�greater�impact�on�improving�information�mobility�than�simply�improving�the�supporting�technology.

On�the�other�hand,�over�one�quarter�also�report�that�their�servers�are�not�effective�at�streaming�data�to�mobile�devices�or�other�servers.�Without�the�basic�technological�

support�in�place,�firms�will�be�limited�in�their�ability�to�share�data�internally�and�externally�in�ways�that�can�improve�productivity,�project�quality�and�client�satisfac-tion.�The�results�demonstrate�that�more�investment�in�appropriate�technologies,�whether�by�the�firms�them-selves�or�externally�based�in�the�cloud,�can�also�have�a�major�impact�on�improving�the�state�of�information�mobility�in�the�industry.

Variation by Size of FirmEighty percent of respondents from large firms with annual revenues of $10 million or more are aware of the impact of their servers, compared with 69% from smaller firms. However, there are no significant differences in the percentage of respondents from large or small firms that report that their servers are effective.�

This�finding�may�suggest�that�the�increased�degree�of�information�mobility�in�large�firms�noted�throughout�the�report�may�not�be�entirely�to�higher�investments�by�large�companies�in�technology�solutions,�but�in�greater�aware-ness�of�the�capabilities�of�technology�and�what�it�can�accomplish�for�their�company.

Effectiveness of Servers in StreamingProject Information

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Impact of Servers on the Capacity to Access Project Information Away from the Office

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project information are when they are traveling and when they are onsite and not in the trailer. These�find-ings�are�likely�due�to�a�combination�of�two�factors:�inconsistent�access�to�Wi-Fi�or�other�means�of�support-ing�streaming�project�data�and�limitations�in�the�ability�for�mobile�tools�like�phones�and�tablets�to�handle�large,�visual�files�containing�project�information.�It�is�also�notable�that�while�an�equal�percentage�(37%)�report�good�access�to�project�information�in�these�locations,�far�more�respondents�(35%)�report�that�it�is�a�challenge�to�access�information�onsite�than�those�who�report�challenges��traveling�(25%).�

This�result�is�particularly�important�because�being�able�to�access�data�onsite�outside�the�trailer�is�likely�to�have�a�strong�impact�on�productivity�for�construction�firms.�The�lack�of�access�limits�the�potential�for�creating�a�digital,�“paperless”�jobsite,�since�most�firms�still�need�to�provide�project�information�to�workers�outside�of�the�trailer.�It�also�limits�the�usefulness�of�3D�modeling�in�the�construction�process,�making�it�more�of�a�design�tool�than�it�needs�to�be.�

On the other hand, one promising result is that nearly three quarters of the respondents (72%) report the ability to access project information well from the project trailer. While�this�still�limits�access�for�the�individual�workers�in�the�field,�it�does�promote�better�management�and�communication�with�the�main�office�from�the�site.

Access to Project Information continued

Variation by Size of FirmSeventy-nine percent of large companies with an annual revenue of $10 million or more have good access to project information in their site trailers, compared�with�57%�of�smaller�companies.�

Some�of�this�difference�may�be�due�to�the�greater�prevalence�of�general�contractors�among�the�large�firms.�however,�this�trend�is�also�notable�among�large�general�contractors,�with�85%�of�those�with�annual�revenues�of�$50�million�or�more�with�good�site�access,�compared�with�61%�of�general�contractors�with�annual�revenues�of�less�than�$10�million.�Therefore,�it�is�also�likely�that�larger�companies�also�have�more�resources�increasing�access�to�information�in�site�trailers,�whether�those�resources�include�better�devices,�more�expensive�Internet�access�or�more�people�onsite�with�expertise�in�the�use�of�digital�project�information.�


Accessibility of Project Information by Location


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Accessibility of Project Information by Location

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by far, the most influential factor currently that deter-mines which positions within a company are likely to use a mobile device to access project information is the size of the firm. type of firm is much less influential.

therefore, despite the fact that a larger percentage of firms with an annual revenue of less than $10 million are specialty trade contractors, and despite the tendency for trade contractors to place greater emphasis on the need to improve the flow of project information to the site (see pages 24), a lower percentage of small firms report that supervisors onsite access project data using mobile devices. on the other hand, a notably higher percentage of small firms have jobsite workers accessing project data through mobile devices.

Variation by Firm Size

Large FirmsLarge firms are notable for the relatively consistent use of mobile devices by many positions to access project information. only a 17 percentage point spread sepa-rates the top four positions. this suggests broad access to these tools across many roles at a firm.

Project managers at large firms are the most active users of mobile tools to access project information, with nearly all reporting that they currently do so. In addition, the highest percentage from the next two years report that they expect project managers to continue to access mobile tools, although mobile tool use expected by site superintendents/foremen in two years will significantly close the gap, with a change from a 12 percentage point differential currently to just a two-point differential in the future. this suggests increased recognition of the impor-tance of access to project information in the near future.

Currently site superintendents/foremen are tied with company leadership in terms of their mobile tool use to access to project information. however, a higher percent-age of site superintendents/foremen are expected to use mobile tools in the future compared with company leaders. again this is more evidence of the increasing importance of sharing information between the site and the main office.

a third finding demonstrating the increased impor-tance of getting data onsite in the next two years is the dramatic growth in jobsite workers that are expected to use mobile tools, from 23% to 38%. While this is still a far lower percentage than the other positions, this leap significantly narrows the gap. It is likely that if access to

Access to Project Information continued

the jobsite away from the trailer were improved (see page 28), this number would increase even more, given the overall trend. however, it may also be limited by concerns about adequate training for jobsite workers on the tech-nologies necessary for more intensive access to project information.


Positions Within Companies that AccessProject Information


In the Next Two YearsCurrently

96%

72%

Project Managers

84%

70%

Site Superintendent/Foremen

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Positions Within Companies that Use Mobile Devices to Access Project Information (according to firms with revenues of $10 million and over)

SmartMarketReport

Access to Project InformationPositions Within Companies that access Project Information continued

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In the Next Two YearsCurrently

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Positions Within Companies that Use Mobile Devices to Access Project Information(according to firms with revenues of less than $10 million)

smaLL FirmsSmall firms see a similar shift to large firms in the expec-tation of greater use of mobile tools to access project information by site personnel, with a small increase in the percentage of site superintendents/foremen that are expected to use these devices and a more dramatic growth in jobsite workers expected.

a notable difference, though, between large firms and small firms is the current emphasis on use by company leadership rather than project managers of mobile devices for accessing project information. all of the small firms report that their leadership use these devices, while just over three quarters report that their project managers do. this has implications about the degree to which project information is being used throughout the company.

another finding, which distinguishes small firms from larger ones, is the degree to which mobile tool use in small firms among various positions goes from very inconsistent currently to more consistent in the future across many positions. there is a 33 percentage point differential in the use reported in the top four positions of mobile devices currently among small firms, but that difference drops by half to 14 percentage points in the future.

finally, small firms are less likely to have engineers using mobile devices, although this may be indicative of fewer small firms employing engineers than of a general trend.

SmartMarketReport

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The Rising Trend of Workers UsingTheir Own Mobile Devices

Many U.S. workers bring their personal mobile devices to their workplace. This development is quickly catching on in the design and construction industry. Protecting confidential information poses unique challenges under this strategy, yet the trend appears irreversible.


Sidebar: Bring Your Own Mobile Devices

Permitting staff to use their own mobile devices, pop-ularly referred to as byoD (bring your own device), is

convenient for the employee and a surefire morale booster. It also allows firms to reduce overhead.

but many industry observers feel it is much more, facilitating increases in productivity for a sector that has been slow to embrace technologies that have become commonplace in other industries. for example, using mobile devices at the jobsite per-mits voice and text communica-tion in real time, encouraging quick problem resolution because all proj-ect team members can have access to the same information at the same moment.

moreover, the number and variety of construction-related mobile appli-cations has dramatically increased in the last few years, including pro-grams that allow the user to navigate 3D bIm models, calculate projected concrete and rebar use or manu-ally create CaD technical drawings, among many others. the byoD trend has become an effective entry point for digitizing the construction industry.

Evolving BYOD Policiesthere is no consensus for the ele-ments of a construction-based byoD policy. ken young, CIo of hok, stresses that his firm’s byoD poli-cies are evolving and are still experi-mental. his firm recognizes that from a user’s perspective, work activities

and personal activities are closely intertwined, so any byoD strategy must understand this while still main-taining standards of portability and interoperability. Decisions on which devices are acceptable are resolved on a case-by-case basis.

for Darren rizza, CIo of Space matrix, the decision to permit smart-phones onsite is simple, because vir-tually everyone has smartphones already and it would be too cumber-some to have two separate phones for business and personal use. his firm only provides smartphones for its senior corporate staff, while all other employees are encouraged to bring their own, and are reimbursed for their use.

the policy at Dpr Construction is different. CIo radhika menon explains that Dpr really has a “choose your own device” strategy. her firm provides employees with flexibility, offering an array of devices from which they can choose, but they can’t connect their own devices to the company network. the primary concerns are usability and secu-rity. usability is critical for produc-tivity on jobsites and security is vital because about 80% of Dpr’s proj-ects have some form of confidential-ity obligation.

ken Sanders, managing direc-tor at gensler, describes a byoD dis-tinction that his firm considers very important. gensler distinguishes between mobile devices (smart-phones and tablets) and personal computers, including laptops. he

notes that a key problem with per-sonal computers is the incompatibil-ity of different software applications and versions, as well as additional security vulnerabilities, so gensler’s byoD policy excludes the use of per-sonal computers.

Risks Appear to be Exaggeratedthe key concerns with a byoD policy are security and confidentiality. yet after dealing with byoD within their respective firms, many practitioners consider the risks to be overblown. potential problems include allow-ing information to go from business to personal, such as placing a ren-dering or an animation on a social media platform without regard to copyright or the client’s wishes; acci-dentally sending a message from a personal address rather than a busi-ness address; someone leaving the firm abruptly and downloading criti-cal, confidential information; or loss/ theft of the mobile device.

the solutions to these and com-parable potential problems are pri-marily managerial, not technical. many firms believe that most of these issues can be avoided, or at least minimized, through good train-ing and supervision. If training does not address the problem, a number of easy-to-use software applications can reduce risk, ranging from pro-grams that efficiently “wipe” confi-dential data that were compromised to applications such as “find my iphone.”n

In the construction industry, chal-lenges to the flow of information can emerge as frequently from geography and connectivity as

they do from software and formats. As a trailblazer in the area of the renewable energy construction with over 100 wind farm projects under its belt, Mortenson Construction has successfully tackled this chal-lenge, even for its projects in various remote locations across North Amer-ica where connectivity has been essentially nonexistent. In these sit-uations, the company has benefited from the use of a private satellite network that has made mission-crit-ical communications possible under challenging circumstances.

A Satellite Connection Is Sometimes the Only OptionThe wind farm projects, which involved the design and construction of access roads, foundations, trans-mission lines, substations and erect-ing turbines often on mountaintop locations, also required onsite teams to be able to communicate large amounts of data back to the home office. In these areas where hardly a cell phone signal exists, Mortenson deployed a mobile satellite antenna and used the services of a satellite provider to create a connection back to the company’s data center.

The satellite connection was the only option available and there-fore vital to the operation of these projects. It would have been quite difficult to transmit critical data oth-erwise. Although on some occa-sions the project staff had access to an Internet connection at their hotel, without a satellite connec-tion on the jobsite, the teams would

have had to work 20 hour days, shut-tling between the hotel and the job-site. The satellite connection allowed Mortenson’s project staff to com-municate via email, update and send data in spreadsheets, access BIM models and videos, make use of VoIP and transmit large numbers of site condition photographs.

A vast majority of the work was done from trailers at the construc-tion sites off Windows-based PCs. Project staff were only able to syn-chronize laptops, slates or tablets if they needed to leave the trailer to conduct work around the wind farm. “When we get into that kind of sit-uation where we’re so desperate that we need a satellite connection, we can’t rely on mobile connectiv-ity for devices that would be moving around, especially on a wind farm,” says Russ LaPlant, lead senior net-work engineer for Mortenson.

Overcoming Bandwidth Problems and Slower SpeedsDespite creating a much-needed con-nection back to the data center, uti-lizing a private satellite network has had its fair share of difficulties for Mortenson. In most cases the com-pany ran into problems due to band-width limitations, which resulted in slower speeds and issues with latency. “The biggest issue with sat-ellite use is that it’s a long way up and a long way back, so connectivity is not remotely close to what it is in a standard project. The speed is slower and latency is far greater”, says Nige Wingate, IT director for Mortenson.

The further north the projects took place, the tougher it was to get a good connection since the distance is greater from the equator where the geosynchronous satellite main-tains its orbit. In these situations the antenna had to be directed signifi-cantly lower into the horizon.

Mortenson typically runs all of its applications within a Citrix ses-sion back to their data center. How-ever, at some sites that were well into Canada, they found it difficult to maintain quality Citrix sessions.

Mortenson Construction’s MVS1200 F&D satellite unit is easily deployable and was generally mounted on one of the trailer roofs by the project staff onsite.

case st

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Connectivity Through a Private Satellite NetworkUtilizing a Satellite Connection on Remote Wind Farm Projects

north AmericA


continuedPhoto credit: Mortenson construction

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Satellite connectivity was essential for work to get done at the Dokie wind farm project, a remote area situated in the Canadian Rockies’ front range.


“The more movement you have in a Citrix screen, like flash ads, manip-ulation of CAD drawings, or movies, it can take a tremendous amount of bandwidth. Whereas if a Citrix user is typing emails or working in a spread-sheet, then they use very little band-width”, says LaPlant. In such cases, the company resorted to a work around, which involved running the applications on a local PC rather than on Citrix, and transmission was done later during off-hours when a better connection was available.

The Right Equipment and Service Provider Makes A Difference The satellite antennas used by Mortenson have evolved over time. Initially the company used a fixed type of satellite antennas, but they encountered several problems with them, such as not being able to quickly deploy the antennas when needed, or the need to repair or repoint them without hiring a local technician to visit the site. Wind-storms and even wandering cows resulted in the antennas needing to be fixed and technicians needing to be called on multiple projects. In some instances, projects would lose connectivity for a week. As a result, the company decided to invest in a more expensive satellite antenna, but one that is more easily deployable and can automatically repoint itself toward the satellite.

Mortenson no longer requires IT or satellite technicians onsite. Mortenson’s IT staff generally preps the equipment and verifies that everything is up to date and ready to run properly. The project staff is provided a training session and a manual setup guide before they take

possession of the antenna and ship it to the project site.

Another important part of creating a satellite connection for Morten-son has undoubtedly been working with a satellite service provider. The service provider offers the network and the quality of service that are needed for Mortenson to be able to run its applications. The network setup utilizes the same equipment that Mortenson uses at every one of their sites, but it is tuned to deal with the challenges of a satellite connection.

After several years of working with different providers, Morten-son has found a provider it is happy with. LaPlant says, “They have been just the right size, where they under-stand the technology well and will provide a high level of service to us directly. This partnership has been very important to the success we have had.”

Key Lessons LearnedLaPlant lists several lessons learned along the way that he would advise other companies be aware of when pursuing satellite connectivity for their remote projects:

• Work with a satellite service provider that will meet your needs and that clearly understands your technology and network.

• understand the requirements of your own applications. For example, with VoiP, Mortenson requires 20Kbps per call and expedited delivery and no packet loss; with citrix they needed expedited delivery of bursty data, so that meant getting priority over file transfers or printing over the network (other applications could compete for bandwidth, but one or two applications could not suffocate other network traffic).

• if you are planning on not having it or satellite technicians onsite, try to deploy a system that the site can operate without that expertise.

• Set expectations! that way the site will know when something is working as expected or if they need to get it support involved. n

Connectivity Thorugh a Private Satellite Networknorth AmericA

continued

Photo credit: Mortenson construction

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ata three types of devices are currently used by over 70%

of respondents to access project information: desktop computers (87%), laptop computers (86%) and apple iOS devices (72%). this finding demonstrates that construc-tion firms are largely in the mainstream of technology users, with wide adoption of the technologies common in many other businesses. however, the profile for device use varies between general contractors and specialty trade contractors.

Laptop and Desktop DevicesNearly all the general contractors surveyed (92%) report using laptop computers, even more than are currently using desktop computers. this shift from desktops to laptops reflects a general trend in computer use across u.S. businesses as laptops grow increasingly powerful and affordable, and they suggest that general contractors are in line with the mainstream in terms of their computer use.

In contrast, nearly all specialty trade contractors (96%) still use desktop computers, with only 78% report-ing the use of laptops. this profile of device use lags behind standard use currently, and it suggests that trade

Devices Used Currently and Expected to Be Usedin two Years to access Project Information

contractors are very conservative when it comes to technology adoption.

In the next two years, this tendency is expected to continue, although trade contractors do narrow the gap between their use of devices and that of general contrac-tors. although use of desktops by trade contractors will decline to 61%, their use by general contractors is expected to drop precipitously, by 41 percentage points.

a smaller percentage of both types of contractors report expecting to use laptop computers in the next two years as well. however, the steep decline of 32 percent-age points and the more gentle decline of 9 percentage points among trade contractors will actually bring the use of this technology in line between both firm types.

iOS Deviceapple iOS devices like iPads and iPhones currently see widespread use across the industry, regardless of firm type. both also expect to see about the same level of decline in their expected use of these devices. this finding is particularly interesting when compared with a survey on the use of mobile tools conducted in 2012 by mcgraw hill Construction (see page 37 for more

Tools Used to Support theFlow of Project Information

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FutureCurrent

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GENERAL CONTRACTORS SPECIALTY TRADE CONTRACTORS

Top Three Devices Currently Used and Expected to be Used in the Next Two Years (according to general and Specialty trade Contractors)

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ata information). at that time, ipads dominated the tablet

market and iphones were the prevailing smartphone on the market, and accordingly, contractors reported a high level of use. however, a year later, these are no longer seized upon by the industry as the only technology of the future.

While firm type has little impact on the use of an ioS device, firm size does. among firms with an annual revenue of $10 million or more, 79% currently use an ioS device, and 65% expect to be using one in two years. however, only 60% of smaller firms are currently using an ioS, and nearly the same percentage (56%) expect to be using them in two years. ioS devices tend to be among the most expensive in their bracket on the market, and therefore, it is not surprising that smaller firms have been cautious about their investment in them and less likely to shift to other technologies in a short, two-year window.

Other Devicesrespondents are also using a wide variety of other devices, with android devices topping the list. While the

Tools Used to Support thr Flow of Project Informationdevices Used Currently and Expected to Be Used in two Years to access Project Information continued


Current and Future Expected Use of Other Devices (according to general and Specialty trade Contractors)


FutureCurrent

45%

34%

Android Device

27%

8%

BlackBerry Device

20%

28%

Windows Mobile Device

43%

41%

Android Device

14%

18%

BlackBerry Device

20%

21%

Windows Mobile Device

16%

29%

Netbook

13%

28%

Netbook

TOOL_F1abGCsubOther.eps

GENERAL CONTRACTORS SPECIALTY TRADE CONTRACTORS

current level of use of android devices among general and specialty trade contractors is similar, roughly the same percentage of trade contractors expect to be using android devices in two years, while far fewer general contractors expect to do the same. again, trade contrac-tors have consistently been more conservative about shifting devices than the general contractors in all the results. Interestingly, small firms with revenues under $10 million expect to see a slight increase in their use of android devices in two years, from 37% to 39%, probably driven by the affordability of these devices.

the percentage of general contractors using black-berry devices is expected to decline by more than half, while trade contractors report a slight growth in use of these technologies. this finding suggests that trade contractors may be relying on these devices for basic, textual communication by e-mail, voice or instant messaging, while contractors may be expecting a wider range of functions from their devices, a finding further supported by the growth reported by general contractors in their use of Windows mobile devices but not by trade contractors.

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ata among the respondents using mobile devices, nearly

all (90%) of them are using the camera function. this result is similar to the findings of a study mcgraw hill Construction conducted in 2012 on mobile devices. most smartphones and tablets come equipped with cameras, and cameras can provide quick, easy visualiza-tion of jobsite conditions that can strengthen the flow of project information between the main office and the site. because of their wide availability, lack of needed technical expertise and effectiveness in conveying critical informa-tion, cameras are widely used by general and specialty trade contractors alike, as well as by small and large contractors.

Just under two thirds of the respondents (60%) also report using GPS location services on their tools. use of these services can range from locating projects to which addresses have not been assigned to sophisti-cated project management through gIS software and applications, although only a small percentage of the respondents report using this type of sophisticated information modeling (see page 43). a slightly higher percentage of specialty trade contractors report using these services, which is consistent with the likelihood of staff from trade contractors shifting between multiple projects with greater frequency, but the difference is not statistically significant.

Voice recording, on the other hand, is used by 41% of general contractors compared with 28% of trade contractors, and this difference is significant. voice recording may be more valuable to general contractors as a tool that assists them with project management, through memo-taking and meeting support. It can be particularly valuable as a quick measure that allows them to create an accurate record to avoid liability concerns as well.

Tools Used to Support the Flow of Project Information continued


Mobile Device Functionality Usedby Project team Members

90%

89%

57%

64%

41%

28%

TOOL_F2gcsub.eps



Cameras

GPS Location Services

Voice Recording

Mobile Device Functionality Used by Project Team Members(according to general and Specialty trade Contractors)

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Mobile Tools Use—Findings From MHC’sStudy on Mobile Tools Onsite

According to the findings of McGraw Hill Construction’s (MHC’s) mobile tools study conducted in August 2012, there is widespread use of mobile devices by contractors at construction sites. Furthermore, contractors are reporting productivity benefits from these tools as a result of improved communication, collaboration and managing their workforce.


Sidebar: MHC Study of Mobile Tools

MhC’s study findings revealed that there is a high rate of mobile device use on con-

struction sites now and further increases expected in two years: 93% of a representative sample of general contractors (gCs) and specialty trade contractors report using some sort of mobile device onsite, with 97% of gCs report using a mobile device onsite, compared with 87% of trade contractors. by 2015, the percent-age of gCs expecting to use mobile tools onsite remains steady, while the percentage of trade contractors increases slightly to 91%.

mobile devices are not only being widely used but their adoption is also intensive. approximately two thirds of all contractors report using them on more than 75% of their job-sites. While 75% of gCs report usage at this level compared with 50% of trade contractors, intensity of use is expected to significantly increase among trade contractors than gCs.

Smartphones Most Used Mobile Technology on Construction Sitethe study finds that smartphones/ ioS phones (iphones) are most widely used among contractors, with 50% reporting the use of an iphone and 59% another brand of smart-phone on the jobsite. While 65% of gCs indicate using a smart phone compared to 51% of trade contrac-tors, the use of an iphone by gCs and trade contractors is nearly identical,

50% and 49%, respectively. findings also show that there is a future trend toward the use of tablets among contractors, which is expected to double by 2015.

Mobile Devices Improving Jobsite Productivitymore than 70% of all contractors selected 8 out of 11 tasks in which mobile devices provide them with increased productivity on the jobsite. the top three areas, according to respondents, are communication and problem-solving; collaboration and document sharing; and manag-ing workforce, scheduling and tracking project work.

the tool most reported as boosting productivity are the cameras included on these mobile devices—84% of gCs and 77% of trade contractors indicate using them.

Drivers and Obstacles Impacting Investment in Mobile Technologiesthe ability to share project docu-ments is considered the top factor impacting contractor investment in mobile devices. fifty-two percent of gCs and 54% of trade contrac-tors report that this factor is a driver behind investments they have already made and future investments they intend to make. affordability of devices is also a top factor driving investments, with 53% of trade contractors considering it a priority

compared with 40% of gCs. this is not surprising given that trade contractors have struggled recently with the impact of the recession and affordability is high on their list when considering investments.

as far as obstacles that limit invest-ment in mobile tools, gCs report challenges regarding the implemen-tation of useful software while trade contractors report concerns more directly related to hardware. the top obstacle cited by 59% of gCs is the lack of adoption of mobile technolo-gies by other firms on the project team, and 54% cite the lack of interoperability with existing hardware and software. among trade contractors on the other hand, 59% report the cost of devices as the top obstacle to investment in mobile tools, followed by 51% citing wireless network access onsite as an obstacle. n

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ata Most respondents report needing a wide range of capa-

bilities in the devices they use to connect them with project information, with the ability to exchange a large amount of data quickly the most highly rated. at least 85% report that sufficient bandwidth, Wi-fi service and cell data service are all critical. With the large size and visual nature of the documents involved in construction, it is not surprising that nearly everyone recognizes that their devices have to have these elements to keep them connected.

On the other hand, it is worth noting that security is also highly important to most respondents, with 71% reporting that document security is important and 68% that regard enabling secure access to information critical. this finding demonstrates that the industry is highly aware of specific, more sophisticated needs regarding their technology than basic connectivity. the construction industry has always faced the challenge of balancing the need to share project information with concerns about securing intellectual property and, in some cases, owner security or competitiveness, and rising security threats since 2001 have only magnified the impact of these issues. as devices make the flow of project information easier, they also may exacerbate these concerns. It is critical that tools help address these issues.

Variation by Firm TypeGeneral contractors are more concerned about secu-rity issues than specialty trade contractors. Sevety-four percent of general contractors value the ability of devices to enable secure access, compared with 60% of trade contractors, and 78% of general contractors find docu-ment security important, compared with 61% of trade contractors. this corresponds with the greater techno-logical savvy demonstrated by general contractors than trade contractors throughout the results.

Variation by Firm Size all of the features included in the survey are more highly valued by respondents of large firms (revenues of $10 million or more) than small firms, with several with statis-tically significant differences. One key difference is that 62% of large firms place high value on version control, compared with 46% of small firms. for large firms, version control may be even more important than for small firms because they are more likely to have multiple players working from project documents at once.


this also aligns with findings that demonstrate greater emphasis on sharing data to enhance collaboration among large firms that is evident throughout the results.


Key Capabilities in Devices that Connect Usersto Project Information



91%

77%

Enough Bandwidth

88%

81%

Wi-Fi Service

87%

80%

Cell Data Service

80%

55%

Document Security

75%

55%

Enabling Security Access

62%

46%

Version Control

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Importance of Capabilities in Device that Connects User to Project Information(according to large and Small firms)

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ata across the board, a higher percentage of large firms,

those with $10 million or more in revenue, deem various tasks important to be done remotely than smaller companies. four of these differences are large enough to be statistically significant, but the general trend is worth noting as well. this finding suggests that large firms have higher expectations and place more importance on effective information mobility in order to be able to accomplish these tasks.

the four tasks deemed important by a significantly higher percentage of large firms than small ones support the higher importance placed by large firms on the ability to work collaboratively. the ability to share files with other applications, edit/annotate documents, share files with other team members and interact with a 3D model all work toward an improved ability to collaborate effectively with other team members, whether they are in the same firm or work for other companies.

the remaining factors, of much more equal weight of importance to large and small companies, involve the ability to interact better with project information, in terms of exporting to a local drive, seeing file properties or utilizing drawings. these findings support the notion that smaller firms are still more focused on information mobil-ity between servers and locations, rather than between players.

Variation by Firm TypeUnlike the differential by firm size, only one task, the ability to edit and annotate documents, is deemed important by a significantly higher percentage of general contractors (76%) than specialty trade contractors (61%). general contractors are more likely to be working directly with design firms, and there is a clear trend in the industry for contractors to be increasingly involved in the design phases, especially during the creation of construction documents. being able to work remotely on documents allows them to avoid having this aspect of their work interfere with the time they need to be onsite or away from the office.

Variation by Firms that Find that Their Servers Effectively Stream Project Informationamong firms that report that their servers effectively stream project information (see page 27), tasks impacted by that improved server function are also deemed impor-tant by a higher percentage of respondents than those


at firms that do not have servers effectively streaming information. this includes the ability to see the proper-ties of files (48%) and export files to a local device (87%). While it is possible to attribute this finding to the fact that companies that invest in servers that are more effective at streaming information may also be more tech-savvy in general, it is also possible that the ability to do these tasks quickly and easily may also make them more important. the latter would suggest that the more companies invest in information mobility, the more they are able to recog-nize the value it brings in helping them perform critical business functions.


Tasks Deemed Important to be Done Remotely



91%

82%

Share Files with Project Team Members

89%

85%

Utilize Drawings

79%

70%

Export Files to Local Device

76%

63%

Share Files with Other Applications

75%

58%

Edit/Annotate Documents

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20%

Interact with 3D Models

36%

26%

See File Properties

TOOL_F6size.eps

Tasks Deemed Important to Be Done Remotely(according to firm Size)

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ata documents in a PdF format, Microsoft Office documents

and images are considered important to access remotely by over 80% of respondents, with nearly all (96%) finding PdFs important. all three of these are at least 20 percent-age points higher in terms of the respondents who find them important than project documents like 2D drawings (59%) and 3D models.

this finding is particularly important given the current importance of drawings and the increasing importance of models to the construction of a building onsite. full use of these tools may require remote access. the results demonstrate that, despite the technological advances and broad acceptance of mobile tools in the construction industry, blueprints and other paper drawings are still predominant on many construction sites. however, it is likely that this finding reflects the limitations of current tools more than it does the desire to continue accessing project drawings via paper. While tools like tablets and laptop computers have supported significant increases in project information flow, they are still limited in terms of resolution and image size. paper drawings in many cases, except on the most sophisticated digital sites, still allow for greater clarity, despite their portability challenges.

however, pDfs and microsoft office documents still allow for the easy exchange of critical project information between the site and the main office, including addenda and rfIs. they are also critical for project management tasks, including scheduling. Images can help workers visualize the project, or they can allow workers onsite to convey site conditions to the main office.

Variation by Firm Typegiven the fact that general contractors and specialty trade contractors face many of the same challenges and benefits from this content, it is not surprising that there are no statistically significant differences in terms of the percentage that consider these types of content impor-tant to access remotely.

In fact, the only significant difference is that a higher percentage of general contractors (33%) consider videos to be an important form of content, compared with specialty trade contractors (22%). one critical factor influencing this result is that general contractors tend to use more sophisticated equipment than specialty trade contractors (see page 35), making the use of videos easier. also, one key function for videos accessed


remotely is safety training, and some general contractors include any trade firms in their training for safety because of the interconnected nature of work on a jobsite.

Variation by Size of Firmas can be seen on the chart, there are several significant differences in terms of content considered important by size of firm. these findings are corroborated by the fact that larger firms are consistently more invested in technology, and they have the ability to access more information remotely, making them realize the value of the ability to do so.


Types of Content and Formats ConsideredImportant to access Remotely by Contractors



TOOL_F7size.eps

98%

93%

PDFs

89%

79%

Microsoft Of�ce Documents

85%

77%

Images

64%

56%

2D Drawings

34%

12%

3D Models

29%

26%

Videos

14%

6%

Point Clouds

Content and Formats Deemed Important to Access Remotely(according to firms by Size)

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ata a higher percentage of general contractors report using

most of the apps or software services that assist with managing projects than specialty trade contractors. these include apps and services that provide assis-tance with project information, project management and project collaboration. Since general contractors need to manage the entire project and not just one area, it is not surprising that they would invest more in tools that assist with that function. another factor that may contribute to this finding is more widespread use by general contrac-tors of tools like tablets and laptops that would support these apps and services better.

the one type of app/service that is used by nearly the same percentage of general contractors and specialty trade contractors is scheduling apps/services. Sched-uling is a critical function for all contractors, whether you are a general contractor scheduling all the work on a project site or a trade contractor scheduling your time across several projects. In addition, schedule apps are typically relatively simple and can usually be found on the most basic devices, so the level of technology is a minimal factor in their adoption, allowing trade contrac-tors to have as broad adoption as general contractors.

It is also worth noting that almost half (43%) of the specialty trade contractors are either not using these apps/services at all or are uncertain whether they are using them. again, the use of less advanced portable devices may be keeping the trade contractors from wide use of construction-specific apps.

Variation by Size of Firmthe differences reported by firm type are not equally evident when looking at the use of these apps/services by firm size, despite the fact that the general contrac-tor respondents are larger on average than the specialty trade contractors. this is notable because it demon-strates that it is the functions performed by the firms, not their size, that is critical to their lower use levels.

the only apps/services used by a significantly higher percentage of firms with an annual revenue of $10 million or more than by smaller firms are those that support project collaboration. this finding is consistent with the value placed by large firms on how information mobility supports collaboration (see pages 22 and 25).



Types of Apps and Services Usedto Manage Projects



49%

39%

Project Information Apps/Services

45%

27%

Project Management Apps/Services

36%

20%

Project Collaboration Apps/Services

28%

28%

Scheduling Apps / Services

29%

43%

None of the Above/Not Sure

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Types of Apps or Services Used to Manage Projects(according to general and Specialty trade Contractors)

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ata Sixty percent of the respondents report using an app

on a mobile device to enable communication. no single type of app, however, is commonly used in the industry, with between 20% and 30% of respondents reporting use of all the options provided in the survey. the relatively low percentages and even distribution suggest that no single app currently in the market is widely perceived to meet all the needs contractors face, including the ability to use them effectively from jobsites. this gap represents an opportunity for software designers to create tools that respond more broadly and more effectively to the needs of construction firms.

Variation by Firm Typea higher percentage of general contractors (65%) report using some sort of mobile device app for communication than the specialty trade contractors (52%). this finding aligns with wider use of more sophisticated mobile devices by general contractors, compared with trade contractors (see page 35).

More general contractors use most of the apps that enable communication included in the survey than specialty trade contractors. In particular, the apps general contractors use more frequently are more visual, require a more sophisticated mobile device than a cell phone and can be used to effectively support collab-oration. this is particularly true of the two apps that a significantly higher percentage of general contractors than trade contractors report using: video conferencing and voIp apps like Skype. both of these are often used within the construction industry and beyond to enhance collaboration virtually.

even though the difference is not statistically signifi-cant, it is worth noting that the only apps with wider use reported by specialty trade contractors than by general contractors are chat/Im apps. Chat and instant messag-ing can be done on simple devices, and, while they enable better one-on-one communication, they are limited in terms of their ability to enhance true collaboration. however, they can be used to promote better commu-nication between workers onsite and the main office, a factor that trade contractors report is underserved by the current flow of project information (see page 24).

Variation by Size of FirmSince the general contracting firms included in the study are larger than the specialty trade firms, it is not surpris-ing that the large companies (those with an annual


revenue of $10 million or more) also report using more video conference apps and voIp apps than small firms. however, while the trade firms do report using more chat/Im apps, 31% of large firms report using these apps compared with 26% of small firms. this finding demonstrates that large companies are using more tech-nological solutions, from the most advanced to the most simple, more than small firms, even ones that can be used on the most rudimentary portable devices.


Mobile Device Apps Used to Enable Communication



36%

22%

Video Conference Apps

29%

20%

Team Meeting Apps

28%

20%

Social Media Apps

26%

32%

Chat/IM Apps

26%

13%

VOIP Apps

35%

48%


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Mobile Device Apps Used to Enable Communication(according to general and Specialty trade Contractors)

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ata the respondents’ use of design activities and geo-data

tools reflect a conservative approach to the use of mobile devices for these purposes:

■■ Only one third report doing any information modeling on their mobile devices.

■■ Even among those using mobile devices for informa-tion modeling, the largest percentage are working with 2d drawings, rather than BIM/3d models or GIS systems.

■■ the percentage performing reviews and markups is roughly double that of respondents that are actually doing editing or authoring on their mobile devices, whether they are working with 2d drawings, BIM/3d models or mapping and GIS systems.

the factors that may be influencing these results range widely, including but not limited to limitations in mobile devices for performing these functions, limited modeling expertise within firms and a belief that performing these functions remotely does not necessarily contribute to productivity.

further study is necessary to determine the degree to which construction firms would like to do more informa-tion modeling on mobile devices and what the obstacles may be that are preventing them currently from seeing value in this area. given the apparent potential of improv-ing project management through the use of gIS systems and the power of doing remote work on drawings on models, the productivity of the industry seems likely to benefit from contractors finding greater value in the use of mobile technologies for these purposes.

Variation by Firm Typethirty-eight percent of general contractors are using mobile devices to perform information modeling, compared with 29% of specialty trade contractors, a finding that may directly correlate with general contrac-tors using more sophisticated equipment with better visualization capabilities (see page 35).

a higher percentage of general contractors (28%) also report using mobile devices to do reviews/markups of 2d drawings than trade contractors (18%). this may be impacted by the role of the general contractor on the site, and their need to work with the design documents and the trade contractors to coordinate the project.


Variation by Size of Firma significantly higher percentage of firms with annual revenues of $10 million or more do drawing/2D editing or authoring, and work with bIm/3D (both reviews and markups). one factor influencing this result may be greater access in larger firms to more sophisticated equipment, but greater access to It specialists and train-ing resources may also help enable more effective use of the devices they possess.


Design Activities and Geo-Data Tools Usedon Mobile devices

14%

2%

25%

17%

26%

6%

13%

0%

7%

12%

3%

4%

62%

77%

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Drawing/2D Review/Markup

BIM/3D Review/Markup

Drawing/2D Editing or Authoring

BIM/3D Editing or Authoring

Mapping & GIS Review/Markup

Mapping & GIS Editing or Authoring


Design Activities and Geo-Data Tools Used on Mobile Devices (according to general and Specialty trade Contractors)

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The most positive impact of bIm in the field is the elim-ination of rework, which can cause schedule delays,

cost-overruns, quality degradation, and serious safety issues, says tyler goss, director of construction solu-tions at Case, a bIm consultancy in new york.

Myriad ToolsIn new york, turner Construction uti-lizes a number of bIm tools onsite, says ryan brown, turner project engineer. like other large construc-tion firms, it is using tablets/ipads and cloud computing to ensure that project information is accessible to the entire team everywhere onsite.

bIm tools can accomplish many tasks with speed and accuracy. at redwood City, Calif.-based Dpr Con-struction, atul khanzode, director of construction technologies, says his team previously used offsets from a gridline to create layouts for walls. “now if you feed that info directly from the 3D model using trimble total Station [a topographic survey-ing tool], you can do it faster,” he says. “on our largest hospital proj-ect [the $765 million uCSf medi-cal Center at mission bay], we had to install 300,000 supports, flat straps and hangers for mechanical, electri-cal and plumbing systems.” using bIm tools and total Station enabled Dpr to install the supports at least twice as fast compared with tradi-tional methods, khanzode says.

During construction of the john f.

Bringing BIM to the Jobsite

Based on this study’s results, the jobsite has seen the least BIM penetration, but increasingly sophisticated BIM tools are helping solve complex construction problems on the jobsite and achieving unprecedented efficiencies across the entire construction cycle. However, some challenges still persist.


Sidebar: BIM on the Jobsite

kennedy International airport ter-minal 4 in new york, terminal 4 was modeled in large 3D revit files, says george pontikes, jr., president/Ceo at Satterfield & pontikes Con-struction, which worked on the head house renovation and concourse extension. “We could run an inven-tory of previous iterations of docu-ments then the current inventory of modification documents—some over 1,000 sheets long—and in a matter of minutes [rather than months using traditional methods] have a complete list of all additions and deletions for comparative analysis.”

one strategy launched during the jfk project was the use of a bIm cave, a portable trailer devoted to bIm. pontikes initially doubted its adoption, but he reports that it is constantly used. With multi-ple screens and the ability to move back and forth from the model, it has proved so essential that they are now using bIm caves on 25% to 50% of their jobsites and on all their larger projects.

bIm also integrates processes. greg Smith, director of vDC at Skan-ska uSa in Seattle, says at a West Coast project that recently completed self-performed concrete and steel, his team built a 3D structural model using revit, then extracted points for laying out the site. the old process required three types of software to achieve the same results. “When we laid out 1,000 anchor bolts, only two were out of place,” Smith says.

ChallengesWhile bIm helps streamline prob-lem-solving in the field, it can also create challenges. for example, brown says it can increase the effort required to find and solve problems in pre-construction. “trade coordina-tion is so much more detailed when using bIm that it tends to take longer to complete.”

Interoperability conflicts are another challenge faced by contrac-tors employing bIm onsite. these issues arise when team players use multiple types of bIm software. “to effectively collaborate and coordi-nate bIm, the more the team can inte-grate up front, the better, Smith says.

CostWhile the cost of bIm is more accepted in recent years, it can still cause resistance. Depending on the size of the project, bIm setup costs can range from $15,000 to $20,000 for hardware and software, but the ben-efit is usually significant. a recent study of tablet-based bIm deploy-ment at turner Construction showed the recovery of nearly 1,000 man hours wasted moving between the jobsite trailer and the field over a six-month period, goss says. nearly $100,000 in staff costs were recov-ered against setup costs of under $15,000.

“you have to sell the benefits of bIm software before you invest,” khanzode says. but once workers know how to use bIm tools, resis-tance quickly disappears. n


Fifty-one percent of the respondents report that they track the movement of project information. The�fact�that�over�half�of�the�respondents�are�tracking�this�informa-tion�demonstrates�that�understanding�the�flow�of�project�information�among�team�members,�both�inside�and�outside�their�firm,�is�not�only�recognized�as�important�by�the�respondents,�but�that�many�are�seeking�to�establish�benchmarks�around�how�well�this�information�moves.

On the other hand, the fact that almost half are not tracking these data also demonstrates that the construc-tion industry is still in the process of fully capitalizing on the opportunities offered by increased information mobility.�Only�by�understanding�how�project�information�flows�and�where�problems�occur�that�interfere�with�that�flow�can�companies�maximize�the�improvements�they�can�achieve�in�information�mobility.

By far, the highest percentage report tracking the movement among team members in their own firm, which is done by over 80% of those that report track-ing project information movement at all. In�addition,�all�firms,�regardless�of�firm�type�or�size,�are�equally�engaged�in�tracking�the�flow�of�information�within�their�company.�The�widespread�use�of�this�approach�is�likely�due�to�the�fact�that�it�is�relatively�easy�and�less�technical�to�do�than�some�of�the�other�tracking�included�in�the�survey,�and�it�is�also�the�most�likely�to�have�a�direct�impact�on�productiv-ity�since�any�issues�revealed�can�be�addressed�internally.

In contrast, only 40% of firms tracking project information movement report looking at the flow of information to firms outside of their own.�While�there�is�no�significant�difference�between�the�percentage�of�general�and�specialty�trade�contractors�tracking�this�information�flow,�a�significantly�higher�percentage�of�large�firms�are�tracking�these�data�than�small�firms�(see�below).�The�fact�that�only�the�size�of�the�firms�is�a�factor—despite�greater�interest�in�collaboration�among�general�contractors�compared�with�trade�contractors�(see�page�22)—suggests�that�resource�constraints�rather�than�lack�of�interest�is�the�key�factor�that�influences�whether�a�firm�tracks�the�flow�of�information�to�outside�firms.

Variation by Size of FirmForty-five percent of contractors with an annual revenue of $10 million or more that track the flow of project infor-mation in general track how it flows to other companies, compared with 29% of smaller firms.�This�finding�corre-sponds�to�a�generally�greater�emphasis�by�large�firms�on�collaboration�than�among�small�firms�(see�pages�11�and�22),�but�it�may�also�be�influenced�by�the�likelihood�that�large�firms�may�also�have�greater�resources�that�they�can�devote�to�tracking�information�mobility.

Greater�resources�for�tracking,�including�more�IT�employees,�may�also�explain�why�a�greater�percentage�of�large�firms�track�data�moving�from�one�server�to�another�or�between�enterprise�systems�than�in�small�firms.�However,�the�percentage�of�firms�currently�tracking�data�at�this�level�is�small,�even�among�large�companies.

Firms Tracking the Movement of Project Information

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ment of project information among team members within their own firms. They�account�for�80%�of�firms�tracking�any�project�information�movement�at�all.�among�these�companies,�the�size�of�the�firm�impacts�the��positions�that�are�tracked,�far�more�than�the�type��of�contractor.�

Nearly all (96%) of large firms with annual revenues of $10 million and over track how project information flows to the project managers.�In�large�firms,�the�project�manager�is�the�essential�component�tying�all�the�team�members�together,�and�improving�the�flow�of�project�information�to�them�and�from�them�would�have�a�major�impact�on�efficiency.�

However, among smaller contractors, the percent-age that are tracking the flow of project information to project managers (74%) ranks third, behind site super-intendents/foremen (selected by 81%) and estimators (79%). The�strong�performance�by�site�superintendents/foremen�in�this�category�points�to�the�emphasis�placed�on�better�information�exchange�with�the�site�offices�by�smaller�firms�in�findings�throughout�the�study.�However,�it�is�worth�noting�that�roughly�the�same�percentage�of�large�firms�track�the�flow�of�information�to�site�superin-tendents,�which�reflects�the�importance�of�information�exchange�between�the�main�office�and�site�workers�across�the�industry.

Variation by Firm TypeThe�only�statistically�significant�difference�between�general�contractors�and�specialty�trade�contractors�is�that�45%�of�general�contractors�track�the�flow�of�project�information�to�engineers,�compared�with�20%�of�trade�contractors.�This�result�may�reflect�the�fact�that�general�contractors�may�be�more�likely�to�have�engineers�on�staff�at�their�firms�than�some�types�of�trade�contractors.

Otherwise�it�is�relevant�to�note�that�there�are�no�signif-icant�differences�between�these�firms�in�terms�of�tracking�project�information�flow.�even�though�trade�contractors�rank�site�superintendents�first�and�general�contrac-tors�rank�project�managers�first,�both�roles�have�a�high�percentage�ranking�them�important�in�each�firm�type.�The�fact�that�the�size�of�the�firm�is�more�influential�in�determining�the�players�with�whom�they�track�informa-tion�exchange�than�the�firm�type�suggests�that�factors�like�greater�resources,�included�dedicated�IT�staff,�have�greater�influence�on�this�decision�than�the�specific�activi-ties�done�by�the�firm.�

Tracking the Movement of Project Information continued


Tracking the Movement of Project Informationamong team Members Within the Firm



TR_E4size.eps

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ment of project information to outside firms.�With�the�construction�industry�increasingly�turning�to�integrated�project�design�and�delivery,�the�absence�of�tracking�of�this�information�represents�a�notable�gap.�Tracking�the�flow�of�data�is�the�best�way�to�ensure�that�information�between�collaborative�partners�is�being�exchanged�effectively,�so�that�the�seamless�transfer�of�information�can�make�sure�all�players�involved�in�a�project�are�on�equal�footing.�The�lack�of�understanding�of�how�project�information�flows�between�team�members�makes�improvement�of�the�exchange�of�information�difficult,�which�has�implications�for�the�potential�of�increased�productivity�and�profitabil-ity�for�all�players�involved.�

among these companies, the types of firms or posi-tions they track are more influenced by whether they are a general or specialty trade contractor than by the size of the firm.�This�is�the�opposite�of�the�findings�of�those�tracking�the�flow�of�information�within�their�own�firm,�and�it�demonstrates�that�the�activities�engaged�in�by�the�company�take�precedence�over�other�factors�in�influ-encing�their�investment�in�tracking�the�flow�of�project�information�outside�their�firm.

How firms prioritize with whom they track the flow of those data depends on their role in the project. Thus,�it�is�not�surprising�that�88%�of�the�general�contractors�that�track�this�type�of�data�track�it�for�design�professionals,�compared�with�just�55%�of�specialty�trade�contractors.�equally,�a�much�higher�percentage�of�trade�contractors�(75%)�track�how�project�information�flows�between�them�and�the�general�contractors/construction�managers�than�the�percentage�of�general�contractors�(34%).�These�find-ings�suggest�that�each�is�most�concerned�with�how�they�receive�information�from�other�firms,�as�opposed�to�how�they�share�information�with�other�partners�that�are�not�directly�providing�them�with�necessary�project�data,�such�as�the�owner�or�estimators.�

In�this�instance,�field�workers�are�among�the�lowest�of�all�the�positions,�which�demonstrates�that�contractors�are�seeking�direct�information�only�from�their�own�workers�in�the�field�but�currently�are�less�interested�in�how�infor-mation�flows�from�others.�This�even�includes�general�contractors,�despite�their�need�to�maintain�good�flow�of�information�to�field�supervisors�in�the�trades�on�their�sites.�Clearly,�they�are�far�more�invested�in�communica-tion�within�their�own�company�than�in�communication�across�firms�with�site�personnel�on�their�project�sites.�

Tracking the Movement of Project Information continued


Tracking the Movement of Project Informationto Outside Firms



88%

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Tracking the Movement of Project Information to Outside Firms(according�to�firms�Tracking�the�movement�of�project�Information�to�Outside�firms)


The 2013 Information Mobility study was conducted among general con-tractors and specialty trade contrac-tors to explore activities, trends and preferences regarding information mobility in construction.

Data were collected from July 30th to August 7th, 2013. A total of 300 qualified respondents com-pleted the online survey. The sample source was the McGraw Hill Con-struction Contractor Panel. The total sample size of 300 benchmarks at a high degree of accuracy: 95% Confi-dence Interval with a Margin of Error of +/-5.7%.

Respondents ProfileAll respondents were required to be currently employed as a contrac-tor, be located in the U.S. and serve at least some U.S. regions. Respon-dents were widely distributed across the U.S., with the following breakdown by the four U.S. Census regions:

• Northeast: 9%• South: 32%• Midwest: 31%• West: 27%

Analysis in the report includes both the type of firm and size of firm by revenue. With 69% of the firms with an annual revenue of $10 million and over in the category of general contractors (see below), all results were carefully considered to deter-mine whether the split by firm size or by firm type was more relevant, including comparing the results of all respondents to that of just the general contractors by size of revenue.

Type of firmThe types of firms in which the respondents work include general

Information Mobility Study Research

Methodology:

contracting firms, construction man-agement firms, construction-led design-build firms and specialty trade contractors.

For the purpose of this analysis, the general contracting firms, con-struction management firms and con-struction-led design-build firms are grouped together under the category of general contractors, since gen-eral contracting firms comprise 80% of that group, with 9% construction managers and 11% construction-led design-build firms. For the breakdown of respondents by the general con-tractor and specialty trade contrac-tor categories, please see the chart at right.

The survey included six pre-spec-ified trade categories for specialty trade contractors, and 52% of the respondents fell into these catego-ries. The largest are, by percentage of total specialty trade contractor respondents:

• Electrical Contractors: 21%• Mechanical/Plumbing/Sheet Metal

Contractors: 14%• Curtainwall Fabricator/Installer: 7%

Size of firm97% of the respondents provided their 2012 project revenue.

• 36% of the total respondents had an annual project revenue of less than $10 million.

• 61% of the total respondents had an annual project revenue of more than $10 million.

Definitions Respondents were provided with the following definition for the term infor-mation mobility as the one that would be referenced throughout the survey: “The movement of project informa-tion so that team members are able to access and interact with appropriate

information at any point in the construction project process, regard-less of their physical location.”

Also, when respondents were asked about the benefits they have experienced from information mobil-ity in the last two years, they were asked about lower costs/higher ROI, and if they selected these options, the follow-up questions asked how much costs were lowered and project ROI was increased as a result of the information mobility improvements. Exact definitions of types of costs or of what was intended by project ROI were not provided in the survey. n

3_1_Meth_FirmType_#01.eps


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Produced with support from

ResourcesOrganizations and websites that can help you get smarter about information mobility

Acknowledgements:

The authors wish to thank our premier sponsor Bentley Systems for helping us bring this information to the market. Specifically, we would like to thank Greg Bentley, Ed Mueller, Huw Roberts, Jenn Lyons, Jennifer Basilio, Harry Vitelli, Joe Granville, John Schown, Mike Schellhase and Franc Hauselmann for their help on the project. We would also like to thank Bluebeam for their support as a contributing partner to help bring this report to the marketplace.

Additionally, we appreciate contributions from those that provided their perspectives and options. Most notably, thanks to Russ LaPlant and Nige Wingate from Mortenson and John Moebes from Crate&Barrel.

Premier PartnerBentley Systems: bentley.com

Contributing PartnerBluebeam: bluebeam.com

Other ResourcesThe American Institute of Architects: aia.orgAmerican Institute of Steel Construction: aisc.orgAmerican Subcontractors Association: asaonline.comAmerican Society of Civil Engineers: asce.orgAssociated Builders & Contractors: abc.orgThe Associated General Contractors

of America: agc.orgBIMForum: bimforum.orgbuildingSMART alliance: buildingsmart.orgConstruction Users Roundtable: curt.orgDesign-Build Institute of America: dbia.org

FIATECH: fiatech.orgInternational Code Council: iccsafe.orgLean Construction Forum: agcleanforum.org Lean Construction Institute: leanconstruction.orgMechanical Contractors Association

of America: mcaa.orgNational Electrical Contractors Association: neca.orgNational Institute of Building Sciences: nibs.orgNational Institute of Standards

and Technology: nist.govNational Systems Contractors Association: nsca.orgSheet Metal & Air Conditioning Contractors’

National Association: smacna.orgSociety for Marketing Professional Services: smps.org

McGraw Hill Construction

Main Website: construction.comDodge: construction.com/dodgeResearch & Analytics: construction.com/dodge/dodge-market-researchArchitectural Record: archrecord.comEngineering News-Record: enr.comSweets: sweets.comSmartMarket Reports: construction.com/market_research

Bentley Systems

www.bentley.com

McGraw Hill Construction SmartMarket Reports™

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